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Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: Good afternoon. The National Assembly for Wales is now in
session. Ann Jones: 1. Pa drafodaethau a gafodd Llywodraeth
Cymru gyda Gweinidogion Swyddfa Cymru ynghylch y llifogydd diweddar? OAQ(4)1523(FM)
Carwyn Jones: I have occasional bilaterals with the Secretary of State for Wales and,
after raising the issue of the impact of the recent flooding events, I have received confirmation
that there would be a consequential for Wales—there is a catch—should there be any additional
funding from HM Treasury. We are still waiting. Ann Jones: Thank you very much for that, First
Minister. While we will welcome that consequential, I was amazed that the Prime Minister could
come into Wales to announce that money would be no object for Tory constituencies that
had been hit by flooding—because that is what it amounts to, basically—and then promptly
walk out again without having said anything about flooding for Wales, or about additional
moneys for floods in Wales. I know that you, and your Government—including your Minister
who is responsible for flooding, Alun Davies—have worked very hard. [Interruption.] I can hear
the twittering over there, but that is the reality of it. I know that you have worked
very hard, along with your Minister for Finance, in fighting for that Barnett consequential
for Wales, and that there has been a deafening silence from—
Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: Are you coming to the question?
Ann Jones: I am coming to it. Ann Jones: There has been a deafening silence
from the Secretary of State for Wales, David Jones, who constantly—and he is constant
about this—runs Wales down. First Minister, will you continue, as a Welsh Government,
to stand up for my constituency in Wales and for all those constituents across Wales who
have been affected by floods? Carwyn Jones: Indeed so. What a contrast there
has been between Wales and England. We have seen many thousands of properties flooded
in England because of the cuts that have taken place there in the flooding budget. In contrast,
in Wales, we have maintained funding for flood defences, and many, many thousands of properties
have been protected as a result. It was quite remarkable that the people of Somerset, for
example, spent many weeks without being noticed, when they were under water. Suddenly and belatedly,
there was a response from the UK Government, and then, of course, when the Thames threatened
to overflow it all of a sudden became of interest to the UK Government. We then had the bizarre
situation of the Prime Minister coming to Pembrokeshire and announcing with great aplomb
that there would be funding for flooding, forgetting the fact that Wales was not included
in that announcement. Russell George: I am sure, First Minister,
that, like me, you never cease to be amazed by the courage and the determination that
community volunteers display in incidents of extensive flooding. In that light, one
of my constituents recently raised the question of whether thought had been given to establishing
an organisation for volunteers to assist in civil emergencies, like the old civil defence
corps, which was stood down by a former Labour Government in 1968. Such organisations do
exist—in the Irish Republic, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand. Is this something that you
would be prepared to give some thought to, have you given thought to it, and, potentially,
would you discuss this with UK Ministers? Carwyn Jones: I welcome very much, of course,
the work that was done by volunteers in the course of the recent bad weather that we have
had in Wales. Who could fail to commend them on their actions? I have had no discussions
with the Wales Office regarding the resurrection of a body that was abolished when I was two
years old—that is pretty true. However, nevertheless, I applaud the actions of all
those who were involved in dealing with the very difficult weather, and I particularly
applaud the fact that, in Wales—and despite the fact that we had similar weather to the
south-west of England—we were able to weather those storms. Our flood defences held because
we had actually put money into those defences. Llyr Gruffydd: Mae'n dod i'r amlwg yn awr
bod rhai cynghorau yn Lloegr yn awyddus i ddiwygio eu cynlluniau datblygu lleol yn sgîl
yr achosion o lifogydd diweddar—efallai mewn ardaloedd lle *** oes llifogydd wedi
bod yn y gorffennol, a lle mae datblygu, o bosibl, yn yr arfaeth. Pa gyngor y mae eich
Llywodraeth chi yn ei roi i awdurdodau cynllunio Cymru ynglyn â'r posibilrwydd—neu pa ganiatâd
y gallwch chi ei roi iddynt—o ddiwygio cynlluniau datblygu lleol yn gynt nag y byddent fel arfer
yn ei wneud, os oes enghreifftiau tebyg yn dod i'r amlwg yma yng Nghymru?
Carwyn Jones: Nid yw hyn wedi bod yn rhan o unrhyw drafodaeth yr wyf wedi ei chael gyda
Swyddfa Cymru, mae'n rhaid i fi ddweud. Ond, wrth gwrs, mae gennym TAN, a daeth y TAN i
rym tua saith mlynedd yn ôl—rwy'n cofio achos mai fi oedd y Gweinidog ddaeth â'r
TAN i rym. Rwy'n cofio pobl yn dweud ar y pryd ei fod yn eithafol o ran y ffaith ei
fod yn dweud bod yn rhaid gwarchod rhai rhannau o dir a oedd wedi gweld adeiladu o'r blaen.
Yn awr, wrth gwrs, rydym yn gwybod bod pethau wedi newid o ran yr hinsawdd, ond byddwn yn
erfyn i'r awdurdodau lleol ddilyn y TAN. Christine Chapman: 2. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog
ddatganiad am ba gamau gweithredu y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i wella economi Cwm Cynon?
OAQ(4)1526(FM) Carwyn Jones: We are progressing our actions
as outlined in the programme for government, focusing on growth and sustainable jobs. We
have a variety of programmes to do this, including the provision of business support through
Business Wales, information and communications technology support, and transport infrastructure
improvements. We are now, of course, in a position where unemployment in Wales is lower
than in England, and youth unemployment in Wales is substantially lower than in England.
Christine Chapman: Thank you, First Minister. It is certainly very welcome news that youth
unemployment rates have declined more quickly here. However, you will know, First Minister,
about the unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment in my constituency and that four
out of every 10 young people are not economically active. We can, and should be, proud of what
the Welsh Labour Government has achieved in the face of the toughest settlement since
the advent of devolution, but how else can we help these young people back into work
and enable them to make a positive contribution to the economy of the Cynon Valley and Wales
as a whole? Carwyn Jones: I thank the Member for the question.
We must remember, of course, that many young people who are not economically active are,
in fact, students, so they are not actually looking for work, nor are they, by that definition,
unemployed. Those who are not economically active are often in that category. That said,
of course, I can point to two programmes that have helped, the first of which is the Youth
Entrepreneurship Strategy, where we see more and more young people now looking to set up
in business. Secondly, we have of course, Jobs Growth Wales. The latest figures, published
last week, show that Jobs Growth Wales has created 11,059 job opportunities and 8,693
young people have filled those jobs. This is why our rate of youth unemployment is so
substantially below the UK average. William Graham: People living near a 76-turbine
windfarm being built between Neath and Aberdare are being given a say on how they want to
spend a £1.8 million communities fund. First Minister, are there any plans to enable people
in their communities to get involved in such projects, particularly to encourage not only
people to take responsibility for their community, but ideas and new businesses in the hope that
they will be able to reduce local unemployment? Carwyn Jones: Yes, that is something that
we encouraged. That is why we wanted to create a register of community benefits, and we have
encouraged windfarm projects to make sure that they make funds available in an innovative
way. There is a limit to how many village halls can be built and refurbished, and it
is important that the community benefit that accrues from wind turbines is used, for example,
to create employment opportunities for young people.
Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: We now move to questions from the party leaders.
First this afternoon, we have the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, Kirsty Williams.
Kirsty Williams: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. First Minister, today, the Family
and Childcare Trust published its annual childcare cost survey, which makes for some very grim
reading for many parents in Wales. Could you account for why, under a Welsh Labour Government,
the number of local authorities reporting adequate childcare provision for under-twos
has gone down, with just one in five Welsh councils saying that they have sufficient
places? Carwyn Jones: These are matters for local
authorities. We encourage local authorities to make sure that they have sufficient places
available, but it is a matter for them to ensure that they do.
Kirsty Williams: It is disappointing, First Minister, that you feel that your own Government
does not have a stake in trying to sort this problem out for Welsh parents. The report
goes on to say that just 11% of Welsh local authorities reported sufficient childcare
provision for five to 11-year-olds; just 6% reported enough provision for disabled children;
and not a single Welsh council reported having adequate provision for children living in
rural areas. First Minister, are you sure that your Welsh Government does not have a
role to play in making sure that there are affordable childcare places for parents across
Wales across the age ranges? Carwyn Jones: Of course we work with local
authorities to do that, and Flying Start is an example of how good that can be. In the
tackling poverty action plan as well, of course, we know that childcare provision is extremely
important because we know that so many people rely on childcare provision in order to work.
That is why—to use one example—Flying Start has been so successful in enabling many
people to go to work, because of the provisions contained in that programme.
Kirsty Williams: First Minister, I am glad that we both agree that adequate childcare
is absolutely vital for families and for the Welsh economy, but it begs the question: why
are the figures getting worse? If we can move on from willfull provision to the costs for
Welsh parents, childcare costs in England are falling in real terms for the first time
in 12 years, yet, in Wales, the cost of nursery care for under-twos has increased by nearly
12%. For over-twos, it has increased by 13%, and the cost of after school clubs has increased
by a whopping 15%. The reality of childcare under Labour in Wales is that, even if you
find a place for your child, it is more and more difficult to afford it. When are you
going to start taking this seriously and help hard-working families achieve the flexible
childcare that they need across the country? Carwyn Jones: There are two points to make
here. First, I suspect that she makes references to the costs that are being imposed by private
providers and not by public providers, over which we have no control. Secondly, I accept
what she says: childcare is or has been an increasing issue for many people, including
ourselves, over the years, particularly as we have seen a number of crèches close—some
in the public sector and some in the private sector. However, it is exceptionally difficult
to achieve the level of childcare that we would want, given the financial circumstances
in which we find ourselves. The reality is that the cuts that we are receiving over three
years, do not allow us to have the sort of childcare provision that I am sure many Members
in this Chamber would want. Andrew R.T. Davies: First Minister, could
you explain today why some cardiac patients have been referred over the bridge to Bristol
to have their treatment for cardiac problems sorted out there, because, regrettably, the
waiting lists are so great here in Wales? Carwyn Jones: To get treatment sooner.
Andrew R.T. Davies: That is a very flippant answer, to be honest with you. [Laughter.]
I do take the point that, obviously, they have to have treatment as quickly as possible
and that commissioning treatment in independent hospitals on the other side of Offa's ***
will allow that to happen. However, looking at what the Royal College of Surgeons has
said, 152 patients have died in the last five years while waiting for cardiac surgery. In
December 2013, 183 patients had been waiting over 36 weeks for such surgery. This is the
highest number since October 2009. The Royal College of Surgeons identified these problems
over six months ago and it is still waiting for substantive answers from Health Inspectorate
Wales. Do you not think that there is an apology owed on behalf of your Government to the patients
who have been kept waiting on these waiting lists, and in particular for the premature
deaths that have been identified by the Royal College of Surgeons because of these waiting
times? Carwyn Jones: I thought that the answer that
I gave the leader of the opposition was fairly clear, but certainly, I will give him a fuller
answer: yes, 80 patients will go to England for treatment this month and surgery will
be undertaken at weekends here in Wales. In the long term, we have a two-year plan to
put in place cardiac surgery in Wales on a sustainable footing, but, in the meantime,
I do not see how he can criticise us for looking for other options to deliver a service for
the people who need that service. Otherwise, he would be condemning us for not using facilities
outside Wales and for making people wait longer. The reality is that, now, more people will
wait a shorter period of time to get their treatment.
Andrew R.T. Davies: The criticism that I was making of you, First Minister, is that the
ideology prevented this type of treatment from being made available to patients far
sooner, and the premature deaths that have been identified could, in certain instances,
have been prevented. Andrew R.T. Davies: However, the concern that
I have is that you point to a medium-to-long-term plan that has been put in place by the commissioning
board from Cwm Taf health board to develop cardiac services here in Wales. I accept that
plan, but, we heard Ann Clwyd, who is the Labour Member for Cynon Valley, saying last
week that there are hospitals in Wales that should be put in special measures and that
some people are being forced to go into the private sector as they cannot afford to wait.
That, she said, is a state of affairs that she is not prepared to put up with. Those
were the words of Ann Clwyd, the Labour Member for Cynon Valley. So, what confidence can
you give us today that the measures identified by Cwm Taf health board, which is the commissioner
of cardiac services, will actuallly address the long-term waits and, in particular, the
inability for patients to get their treatments sorted here in Wales? Can you give a commitment
that those improvements will be made in the next 12 to 18 months?
Carwyn Jones: Yes, that is why we have a plan for the next two years. I do not accept what
Ann Clwyd says, incidentally. In the meantime, that is why it is important that we identify
short-term ways of ensuring that people get the treatment that they need. That is what
we stand for as a party—making sure that people can access treatments. If it means,
in the meantime, accessing treatments by non-conventional routes, so be it. I would rather that people
get that treatment than not. His party has played fast and loose with figures. Only last
week, Darren Millar, his health spokesperson, was claiming that the number of beds in Wales
had dropped by nearly 20%. There are two points to make about that: first, of course, the
number of beds has dropped, because more people are treated at home than they were, but, secondly,
he forgot to mention that, in England, the figure is 25%. There has been a 25% drop in
the number of beds in England, so, in fact, we have actually protected beds far better
than his party's Government has in England. He can see the figures, if he wants; they
are here. I will read them out if he wants me to. [Interruption.] He can shout as much
as he wants to. In 2002-03—[Interruption.] Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: Order.
Gracious me. First Minister, were you going to read something?
Carwyn Jones: In 2002-03, there were 183,000 beds in England, but now there are 136,000
beds in England. It is not all about beds, that much is true, but by his own definition,
he has condemned his own party's stewardship of the NHS in England, except he did not do
enough work or research to find out that fact. Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: We now
move to the leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood.
Leanne Wood: I would like to return to the Family and Childcare Trust annual report,
which was published today. It showed that the cost of nursery provision for those aged
under two has increased by 11.7%, compared with the UK average increase of 3.3%. First
Minister, can you tell us why you think that costs have increased so much in Wales compared
with other parts of the UK? Carwyn Jones: I have to say that I have not
seen the report, so I cannot comment too much on its detail. The suspicion must be that
there is not enough provision, particularly in the private sector, and costs have risen
as a result. That would seem to me to be the case. The next question is, 'What can Government
do about it?' I am sure that we will all have ideas as to how to improve childcare, but
these are difficult financial times for establishing the kind of facilities that many of us in
this Chamber would want to see. Leanne Wood: They are difficult financial
times, First Minister, and pressures upon local council budgets are resulting in further
cutbacks in childcare provision. In my local authority, Rhondda Cynon Taf, the council
is removing full-time provision for those aged under four, and those cuts have not even
been implemented, so they are not impacting yet. Do you accept that the cuts to local
council budgets for childcare will further hinder parents who need affordable childcare
places so that they can get back into the workplace, and do you also accept that it
will further exacerbate our economic problems if people are unable to access affordable
childcare in order to work? Carwyn Jones: Of course, that is where Flying
Start comes in, to make sure that there is access to childcare that, otherwise, would
not be there. Local authorities must make their own decisions, according to their budgets
and provide the services that they think are affordable to their local populations. It
is true to say, of course, that local government budgets are squeezed, but we cannot give them
money that we do not have. Leanne Wood: It sounds, First Minister, as
though you are saying that nothing can be done by Government about this problem. Your
party has already announced its intentions for 25 hours a week of free childcare for
three-year-olds in England. You have also committed yourselves to providing wraparound
childcare for schoolchildren. Your party leader has outlined his vision for a so-called 'one
nation' Labour Party, where there is meant to be a level playing field. When, therefore,
will you be matching the promises made for childcare in England here in Wales?
Carwyn Jones: I do not remember saying that this is part of the one nation Labour Party
as the leader of Welsh Labour, if I may make that point. Secondly, it is true that that
is part of the policy that has been outlined in England. We would then, of course, get
a consequential if that policy were to be implemented, following, as many of us in this
Chamber would want to see, the election of a Labour Government next year in Westminster.
Knowing that that money would be coming, we would then be able to take a decision as to
how best to use it in order to provide childcare in Wales. However, unfortunately, we do not
yet have a Labour Government at Westminster. Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: We now
move back to the questions on the agenda. Julie Morgan: 3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog
ddatganiad am lefelau diweithdra yng Nghymru? OAQ(4)1524(FM)
Carwyn Jones: Yes. As I said earlier on, our rate of unemployment is lower than England's.
Youth unemployment is falling faster in Wales and is also, of course, lower than in England.
Julie Morgan: I thank the First Minister for that response. Would the First Minister confirm
that while public sector jobs have been lost since 2000, private sector employment growth
has been far higher in Wales than in the UK as a whole?
Carwyn Jones: Yes, it is. That is tribute, of course, to all the work that has been done
by the Minister and her department. The fact is that we have seen foreign direct investment
increase by 191% in one year. Export figures will be published this week or next week,
I think. I expect to see those export figures showing good news for Wales. The facts are
that our unemployment levels are so much lower, employment is up, economic inactivity is down,
young people see the benefit of Jobs Growth Wales, and we have attracted probably the
biggest investment into Wales for many decades, through Pinewood Studios—nearly 2,000 jobs.
That shows the confidence that the business community has in this Welsh Government and
its ability to deliver. William Graham: Without wishing to question
your figures, First Minister, I note that the Statistical First Release statistics of
July 2013 would indicate that economic inactivity rates among people aged 16 to 64 in Wales
were nearly 24%, against 22% in England. Although we welcome the reduction in unemployment among
people aged 16 to 18, the number of those aged 19 to 24 has, in fact, increased. Although
we recognise that there has been some fall in unemployment, which is to be welcomed,
there is a lot more to be done. What are you going to do about it?
Carwyn Jones: I am not sure why the Member is using figures that, by his own admission,
are eight months out of date. Nevertheless, he is. I can tell him that the latest statistics
show that unemployment rates for those between 16 and 17, are—if I remember rightly—24%
in Wales. That is still too high, but 35% is the UK average. When we look at 18 to 24-year-olds,
we see that the UK average rate is something like 19%, and 16.8% in Wales. So, the latest
figures show quite clearly that, when it comes to unemployment and youth unemployment, the
figures in Wales are far better. Why is that? It is true to say that the UK is following
a trend of lower unemployment. The figures show that. However, in Wales, we are doing
better. It is a real shame that the UK Government cannot do as well as a Welsh Labour Government.
[Interruption.] Rhun ap Iorwerth: I have also been scratching
my head in recent weeks hearing your claims that youth unemployment in Wales is lower
than in other parts of the UK, when established figures suggest that it is, in fact, worse.
Will you admit that the new figures that you have been using to quote the Office for National
Statistics, due to its relatively small sample size and variability, should be treated with
caution, and designated as experimental statistics? There is discrepancy, at best. I will put
it on the record that I hope that you are right, but will you admit that painting the
rosiest picture possible is not the best way to make the Government work harder in order
to get our young people back into work. Carwyn Jones: It is because Government has
worked hard that we have so many young people going into work—8,563 of them, at the last
count—through Jobs Growth Wales. I am not sure what the Member means about established
statistics. If he means statistics that his party has just made up, I do not know whether
they are established statistics. The Office for National Statistics is the body that provides
objective statistics for the whole of the UK. If he is saying that those statistics
are, in some way, wrong he must justify that with equally objective and well-researched
statistics of his own. Carwyn Jones: It is not right to say, of course,
that there is not more that needs to be done. Of course there is. The rate of unemployment
is still too high. Let us face it, if it was not for Jobs Growth Wales and the work that
we have done with youth entrepreneurship, and if it was not for the investment that
we have brought into Wales, investments like Pinewood Studios, and the huge increase in
foreign direct investment and the increase in exports, we would not be in this position.
We are in this position—although there is still more work to be done, of course—because
of the actions of this Government. Eluned Parrott: Providing young people with
high-level skills is important in helping them not only to get into work but then build
a career and improve the productivity levels of Wales, which is still lagging behind the
UK average. Last week, the Deputy Prime Minister announced the creation of a single UCAS-style
information and application system for all post-16 courses in England, to encourage a
parity of approach and esteem between vocational and academic routes. I wonder whether you
will commit to doing something similar in Wales, seeing that this is something that
you have often said is a priority for your Government.
Carwyn Jones: We have already done it with the youth guarantees. The UK Government is
merely following the lead that we have given. Rhodri Glyn Thomas: 4. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog
ddatganiad am amseroedd aros ar gyfer cleifion sydd wedi cael mastectomi o ran derbyn canlyniadau
profion yn dilyn llawdriniaeth? OAQ(4)1521(FM) Carwyn Jones: Nid oes amser aros penodol ar
gyfer derbyn canlyniadau ar ôl cael llawdriniaeth y fron. Rydym yn disgwyl i gleifion gael gwybod
am y triniaethau pellach sydd ar gael iddynt, neu dawelu eu meddyliau, cyn gynted ag y bo
modd. Rhodri Glyn Thomas: Mae etholwraig wedi cysylltu
â mi sydd wedi cael y driniaeth hon yn Ysbyty Tywysog Philip yn Llanelli, a chafodd wybod
y byddai'n derbyn y canlyniadau o fewn wythnos. Mae'n dal i aros am y canlyniadau hynny, ac
mae wedi cael gwybod yn awr y bydd yn rhaid iddi aros am o leiaf bum wythnos. Mae hefyd
wedi cael gwybod bod o leiaf 12 o bobl eraill yn yr un sefyllfa. Mae hyn yn dilyn y penderfyniad
i ganoli'r system, o ran gwneud yr asesiadau a datgelu canlyniadau'r profion, yng Nghaerfyrddin.
A ydych yn derbyn fod y sefyllfa hon yn annerbyniol? Carwyn Jones: Mae'r Aelod yn gwybod *** dyna'r
sefyllfa. Mae wedi derbyn llythyr gan Fwrdd Iechyd Lleol Hywel Dda yn dweud yn blwmp ac
yn blaen fod problemau wedi bodoli gyda staffio yn ddiweddar—nid yw rhai aelodau o staff
wedi bod yn y gwaith. Mae'r bwrdd hefyd wedi egluro bod yn rhaid ailstrwythuro'r gwasanaeth
er mwyn sicrhau ei fod yn fwy effeithiol yn y dyfodol. Mae'r hyn wedi digwydd yn barod
yn y gogledd, lle mae'r gwasanaeth wedi cael ei ganoli mewn modd *** yw wedi digwydd yn
y de a'r gorllewin. Fodd bynnag, mae hwn yn rhywbeth y mae'r bwrdd iechyd am ei wneud.
Darren Millar: First Minister, one thing that is happening in parts of Wales is that follow-up
appointments, which are often in relation to test results, with consultants are the
subject of delays. In north Wales we know, for example, that, last month, there were
47,000 people waiting for follow-up appointments and that there was a huge backlog of patients.
However, this is not something that is monitored by the Welsh Government. Follow-up appointments
are not reported to the Welsh Government, in terms of the backlog, and it is very difficult
for people to get the picture of the problem across Wales. What work is your Government
doing to ensure that people get timely access to follow-up appointments, particularly those
people who have conditions that might deteriorate, as this may cause their condition to go undetected
and deliver a devastating outcome for them and their families?
Carwyn Jones: I expect clinicians to prioritise the people they need to see very quickly.
It is very much in their hands. That cannot be done before they see a patient. However,
once a patient has been seen or has had treatment, I would then expect the clinician to ensure
that that patient is seen as quickly as is appropriate for them. It is very difficult
for Government to make that intervention, because each clinician has to decide on what
is appropriate for each patient. We would expect clinicians to do that.
Aled Roberts: 5. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf ynglyn â Chynlluniau
Strategol y Gymraeg mewn Addysg? OAQ(4)1532(FM) Carwyn Jones: Mae pob awdurdod lleol wedi
cyflwyno cynllun strategol y Gymraeg mewn addysg ar ffurf ddrafft i Lywodraeth Cymru.
Maent i gyd wedi cael adborth anffurfiol gan swyddogion o Lywodraeth Cymru cyn cyflwyno
eu cynlluniau terfynol i ni ar gyfer cael eu cymeradwyo ar ôl cynnal y broses ymgynghori
statudol. Aled Roberts: Diolch am yr ateb hwnnw. Mae'r
cynlluniau i fod yn weithredol o 1 Ebrill. Mae problemau ynglyn â diffyg lleoedd ar
gyfer addysg Gymraeg mewn ardaloedd fel Wrecsam yn barod, lle *** oedd ond tri lle gwag ar
gyfer dosbarthiadau meithrin y llynedd. Er hynny, nid yw'r ymgynghoriad mewn rhai siroedd
yn y gogledd yn terfynu tan y diwrnod cyn iddynt ddod yn weithredol, sef 31 Mawrth.
Sut, felly, fydd y Llywodraeth yn sicrhau bod y cynllun hwn yn weithredol yn ôl yr
amserlen wreiddiol? Carwyn Jones: Os oes problem ynglyn â'r broses
ymgynghori, byddwn yn ystyried hynny. Yn ail, os *** yw'r cynlluniau'n ddigon da, bydd yn
rhaid i awdurdodau lleol ailfeddwl eu cynlluniau eu hunain.
Paul Davies: Brif Weinidog, un o nodau Cyngor Sir Penfro yn ei gynllun strategol Cymraeg
mewn addysg yw i fwy o fyfyrwyr rhwng 14 ac 16 oed astudio ar gyfer cymwysterau drwy gyfrwng
y Gymraeg. A allwch ddweud wrthym pa gymorth y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei gynnig i sicrhau
bod y ddarpariaeth ar gyfer dysgwyr 14 i 16 oed yn cydymffurfio â Mesur Dysgu a Sgiliau
(Cymru) 2009, fel bod darpariaeth ar gael i fyfyrwyr mewn ardaloedd gwledig ac anghysbell,
a bod y myfyrwyr hyn yn cael y cyfle i fynychu cyrsiau cyfrwng Cymraeg?
Carwyn Jones: Mae'r gyfraith yno, ac mae'n bwysig dros ben bod awdurdodau lleol yn dilyn
y gyfraith. Nid wyf am roi barn ynglyn ag un rhan o un cynllun sydd wedi'i ddrafftio
ar hyn o bryd. Mae'n rhaid ystyried y cynllun yn gyfan gwbl i weld a yw'r cynllun yn iawn
neu beidio. Wedi dweud hynny, mae'n bwysig dros ben bod yr awdurdodau yn cadw at y gyfraith.
Simon Thomas: Brif Weinidog, rydym yn edrych ymlaen at y cynlluniau hyn i weld sut y maen
nhw'n mynd i hyrwyddo addysg Gymraeg yn ôl y statud, ac maen nhw ar lefel statudol. Fodd
bynnag, mae hefyd yn bwysig bod pobl yn cael mynediad i ysgolion cyfrwng Cymraeg ac mae
hynny, gan amlaf, drwy deithio oherwydd bod ysgolion—yn enwedig y rhai yn y de—wedi'u
gwasgaru. Mae nifer o argymhellion wedi cael eu gwneud yn eich etholaeth chi, ym Merthyr
Tudful a lleoedd eraill i newid y drefniadaeth ar gyfer teithio. Mae'r rheini wedi cael eu
gosod o'r neilltu am y tro. Ond, a ydych yn cytuno â mi y byddai'n briodol ailedrych
ar y rheoliadau ynglyn â theithio i sicrhau *** yw'r dewis o iaith yn effeithio ar yr
ysgol agosaf—hynny yw, y bydd gennych yr hawl i gael eich cludo i'r ysgol agosaf, beth
bynnag bo'ch dewis cyfrwng, Cymraeg neu Saesneg? Carwyn Jones: Gwnaethom ystyried hyn yn fanwl
pan ddaeth y Mesur i rym, sef y Mesur Teithio gan Ddysgwyr (Cymru) 2008. Mae'r Mesur yn
dangos ei bod yn bwysig dros ben bod awdurdodau lleol yn hybu'r iaith Gymraeg fel rhan o'r
Mesur. Y broblem oedd pe baech yn dweud y dylai rhywun gael cludiant i unrhyw ysgol,
heb ots beth yw'r iaith, wedyn byddai'n rhaid ichi gael cludiant i blant mas o rai rhannau
o Wynedd a mynd â nhw'n bell iawn i Fangor neu Gaergybi, efallai, er mwyn cael addysg
drwy gyfrwng y Saesneg. Nod y Mesur oedd sicrhau bod cludiant ar gael i ysgolion Cymraeg heb
ei gwneud yn orfodol i awdurdodau lleol sicrhau bod trafnidiaeth ar gael i bawb heb ots beth
fyddai'r pellter i fynd i'r ysgol leol—neu i'r ysgol berthnasol, fel y dylwn ei ddweud.
Rebecca Evans: 6. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gamau gweithredu Llywodraeth
Cymru i gefnogi'r economi yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru? OAQ(4)1533(FM)
Carwyn Jones: We are progressing our actions to do with the programme for government, through
the provision of business support through Business Wales, information and communications
technology support and transport infrastructure arrangements.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. The news that Mustang Marine
(Wales) Ltd in Pembroke Dock has gone into administration with a loss of 66 jobs is a
bitter blow for the area. How will the Welsh Government give support and assistance to
those 66 workers and how can you help to work towards safeguarding the remaining 48 jobs?
Carwyn Jones: We are exploring a number of options at the moment, but I can say that
those threatened with redundancy will be offered ReAct support and advice.
Angela Burns: First of all, First Minister, I would like to put on record my gratitude
to the Minister and her team for their efforts in trying to help the situation at Mustang
Marine. I have had a number of very in-depth conversations with all the key players and
I have two direct requests for you, First Minister. First, will you, the Minister and
her team get to work with Grant Thornton, the appointed administrator, in an effort
to save the rump of that company, which is a substantial maintenance business that provides
significant input into the local economy? Secondly, will you look at what caused the
decline of a proud and long-standing business with a £9 million turnover that was doing
well until its recent partnership with other local partners? That needs to be investigated
thoroughly because west Wales can ill afford to lose this kind of anchor company—and
it was an anchor company in the enterprise zone.
Carwyn Jones: I can give the Member assurances on both those points. We are already in discussions
with the administrator and we will continue to work with the administrator and the company
with a view to exploring all options for the future. Also, in terms of the second question,
I know that the Minister is greatly interested in getting an understanding of how things
emerged as they are now and I am sure that she will make those investigations and write
back to you. Elin Jones: Brif Weinidog, yn y de, mae'r
cysyniad o 'city region' yn cael ei hyrwyddo gan eich Llywodraeth i ddatblygu'r economi
yn rhanbarthol, ond nid oes menter debyg ar hyd arfordir y gorllewin, lle mae'r cysylltiad
rhwng llwyddiant economaidd a dyfodol y Gymraeg mor bwysig. Pa gynlluniau sydd gennych i gydlynu
polisi economaidd mewn ffordd strategol a rhanbarthol ar hyd arfordir y gorllewin i
hyrwyddo'r economi yn yr ardal honno a sicrhau dyfodol y Gymraeg?
Carwyn Jones: Wrth gwrs, mae gennym rai parthau ar hyn o bryd, fel yr un yn nyffryn Teifi.
Hefyd, rydym yn parhau i ystyried a oes dadl ynglyn â chael rhyw fath o ranbarth dinasol
o gwmpas Aberystwyth, Caerfyrddin ac, efallai, dinasoedd fel Bangor hefyd.
Kirsty Williams: First Minister, tourism is vital to the success of the economy in mid
Wales, and, in particular, in my constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire. Government changes
to support for tourism via the regional tourism partnerships are causing some concern in mid
Wales that the efforts that have gone on in the past may be diluted or taken away from.
Could you outline what steps your Government is taking to ensure that the tourism industry
of mid and west Wales is supported appropriately? Carwyn Jones: I can say very clearly that
we understand that tourism is exceptionally important to all of Wales, and particularly,
of course, to parts of Wales such as the mid and west. Any new structure would be designed
to enhance the promotion of tourism in those parts of Wales, and we will continue to promote
all parts of Wales, including the mid and west, both within the UK and abroad.
William Powell: 7. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am ei flaenoriaethau ar gyfer y
sector ynni yng Nghymru ar gyfer 2014/15? OAQ(4)1517(FM)
Carwyn Jones: 'Energy Wales: A Low Carbon Transition' sets out the Welsh Government's
ambition to develop a low-carbon Wales. The plan on how to develop those ambitions will
be published before 15 March, but it is quite clear to me that the recommendations contained
in the Silk report yesterday, if they are implemented, would go a substantial distance
to making sure that we can use our energy resources in a way that is beneficial both
to the environment and to the people of Wales. William Powell: I would like to thank the
First Minister very much for that answer. In an earlier exchange with William Graham,
reference was made to the community benefits declaration, which was established last year
and was seen to have been something of a success. What steps are you prepared to take to roll
that out to a more regional level, so that communities affected by windfarm development,
particularly in the construction phase, can actually benefit more fully from the community
investment that that would make available? Carwyn Jones: I can say that developers have
been commissioned to provide information for inclusion in the register of community benefits,
and that will be formally launched on 3 April. Antoinette Sandbach: First Minister, I wonder
if you could update us on the steps that you are taking as a Welsh Government to look at
the potential for sub-sea cables to run from Anglesey, in relation to the Anglesey energy
island project. In particular, have you now established that Deeside can be used for Welsh
electricity generation, and have you looked at the issue of running a spur of sub-sea
cable down into Pembrokeshire? Carwyn Jones: The Member will know that none
of this is devolved. We can have a view on this, of course, and we will want to make
sure, as I have said many times in the past, that any means of transmission of electricity
should be as unobtrusive as possible. It is a point that I made particularly in Montgomeryshire
and it is a point that I understand as far as Anglesey is concerned. I look forward to
the Member's deeper question, which is of course that she wishes that these matters
were devolved, as per the Silk commission. I look forward to her full support—and indeed
support for her leader, incredibly—on this issue as on many other issues.
Llyr Gruffydd: Mae gan Blaid Cymru darged o gynhyrchu'r hyn sy'n cyfateb i 100% o'r
trydan sy'n cael ei defnyddio yng Nghymru o ffynonellau adnewyddadwy erbyn 2030. Beth
yw targed Llywodraeth Cymru? Carwyn Jones: Wrth gwrs, mae gennym dargedau
yn y cynllun, ond mae'n rhaid inni ystyried y ffaith *** oes gennym bob twlsyn y byddem
ei eisiau er mwyn cyrraedd y targedau. Er enghraifft, mae'n wir i ddweud bod yr Alban
wedi mynd ymhellach na Chymru ynglyn ag ynni'r môr. Pam? Mae'r Alban yn rheoli'r system
o 'subsidies' trwy'r system ROCs. Rydym wedi dweud sawl gwaith, wrth gwrs, y dylai Cymru
gael y grym er mwyn gwneud hynny, ac wrth gwrs mae'n galonogol i weld bod Silk wedi
gwneud argymhellion er mwyn sicrhau bod gan bobl Cymru reolaeth resymol dros adnoddau
Cymru. Mohammad Asghar: 8. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog
ddatganiad am yr ymrwymiadau o ran twf economaidd sydd wedi'u cynnwys yn y Rhaglen Lywodraethu?
OAQ(4)1519(FM) Carwyn Jones: Yes, the programme will be published
in May, and it will contain a full update on the good progress made.
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you for the reply, Minister. Inward investment is vital for economic
growth in Wales. The Federation of Small Businesses said in January that your Government's inward
investment strategy was 'crowded and confusing'. It went on to say that there was a lack of
brand awareness and visibility since the abolition of the Welsh Development Agency. Will the
First Minister listen to the FSB and consider the Welsh Conservative proposal of setting
up an investment council to attract and develop inward investment to Wales, please?
Carwyn Jones: I do not agree that setting up a quango full of your mates is the best
way of dealing with the Welsh economy. I earlier referred to the point that I have already
made many times: we have seen foreign direct investment increase by 191% over the past
year. They talk about the WDA, but what exactly did the WDA do for 15 years? That is what
I want to know. It did absolutely nothing. Carwyn Jones: After LG, the WDA completely
lost its way: it had people all around the world who delivered absolutely nothing; it
produced targets that it never met; and, it spent huge amounts of money—eye-watering
amounts of money—that would never survive freedom of information scrutiny these days,
I can promise Members that. All of that was for what? The WDA prospered at its best in
the late 1990s, and all it did was put a huge amount of money on the table and say to businesses,
'Come to Wales, there is money on the table'. When that money went, those businesses went
as well. It said to people, 'Come and invest in Wales because wage rates are lower than
anywhere else'. The WDA had its day 20 years ago. For the whole of the last decade and
most of the 1990s, it delivered absolutely nothing.
Alun Ffred Jones: Mae eich Llywodraeth wedi bod yn ymgynghori'n ddiweddar ar leihau nifer
yr ystadegau yr ydych yn eu cyhoeddi. O ran yr economi, y ffigurau mwyaf diweddar sydd
gennym am GDP yw rhai 2011 a'r rhai am GVA yw ffigurau 2012. Nid ydynt yn rhai y byddech
yn ymfalchïo ynddynt. Onid ydych yn credu, er mwyn mesur llwyddiant eich polisïau, bod
angen ffigurau mwy cyson a mwy manwl na'r rhai sydd gennym ni?
Carwyn Jones: Mae'n bwynt teg i ddweud bod y ffigurau GDP mor hen—tair blwydd oed—ac
mae'r ffigurau GVA bron yr un peth. Mae GDHI hefyd, sydd yn wahanol o ran y ffordd y mae'r
ffigurau'n cael eu casglu. Mae hwn yn rhywbeth yr ydym yn ei ystyried, i weld a oes modd
i gael ffigurau i Gymru sy'n fwy diweddar na'r ffigurau sydd wedi cael eu cyfeirio atynt
hyd yn hyn. Fodd bynnag, beth yr ydym yn gwybod, wrth gwrs, wrth edrych ar y ffigurau diweddar
o'r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol, yw bod y sefyllfa yng Nghymru wedi gwella yn fawr iawn dros
y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Hefyd, rydym mewn sefyllfa yn awr lle'r ydym yn gallu cymharu
gyda'r gorau yn y Deyrnas Unedig. Nick Ramsay: 9. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog amlinellu
pa gefnogaeth sy'n cael ei chynnig i awdurdodau lleol i ddiogelu dyfodol canolfannau cymunedol?
OAQ(4)1522(FM) Carwyn Jones: It is a matter for local authorities
to safeguard the community centres that are within their care.
Nick Ramsay: You might be trying to pass the buck onto local authorities, but you will
know that the Welsh Government recently rebranded and launched the community facilities programme
to help protect community assets. However, you have not chosen to implement a community
rights agenda of the type that we see in England. That community rights agenda has already saved
at least 100 pubs across England—a fair measure of success in my book and I am sure
in other people's books as well. Why have you not followed a community rights agenda?
How do you intend to monitor the success of the programme that you have put in place to
ensure that, if it does not start succeeding in the way that you want, we will have something
that actually works? Carwyn Jones: What he is doing is criticising
his own local authority run by his own party. I know that this is a trend with the Member
at the moment, and his local authority will have to justify why it is doing that. Nevertheless,
we have a proud record when it comes to capital expenditure with the community facilities
and activities programme; many facilities in Wales were refurbished as a result of it.
However, in terms of revenue funding, that is a matter for local authorities. If the
Member has community centres in his constituency that are under threat, he needs to take it
up with his own colleagues on the council. Jocelyn Davies: How many community centres,
First Minister, do you think are likely to close and what will your Government do to
ensure that the most vulnerable do not suffer further isolation due to austerity measures?
Carwyn Jones: It is impossible to give that figure. They are not our austerity measures—they
are the Conservative and Lib Dem Government's austerity measures. Community centres are
run in different ways. The Tories say, 'Rubbish; there are no austerity measures', although
the Chancellor, of course, has been saying that until he is blue in the face—literally—over
the course of the past three years. I know that the leader of the opposition has said
that he does not often agree with the Secretary of State; he said in a press conference this
morning, 'I do not often agree with the Secretary of State, but I agree with him on policing'.
Our party is apparently supposed to be divided, but there we are—I will come back to the
question that was asked. Carwyn Jones: As far as community centres
are concerned, some of them are run by local authorities some by outside organisations—trusts—and
some are run by community councils. It is very difficult to give an estimate as to which
ones would face difficulties because they are run by so many different organisations.
However, I would hope, of course, that community centres, being very important facilities for
the communities that they represent, would be considered favourably by any local authority,
whether a unitary authority or a community council.
Peter Black: First Minister, although you are absolutely right that it is, of course,
up to local authorities as to what happens with community centres in their own area,
it is the case that many community facilities are under threat because of the economic situation
that faces everyone in Wales. As a result of that, particularly in deprived communities,
many people face losing vital services, many of which they rely on to access, for example,
job applications through broadband provision, et cetera. May I ask what your Government
is doing, particularly through the Communities First programme and other programmes, to try
to make sure that in those deprived communities those facilities are maintained as much as
possible? Carwyn Jones: Well, I would argue that we
have done that, particularly through Communities First, which is a long-standing programme,
and, of course, refurbishment money has been made available for many centres through the
community facilities and activities programme, and the Member will be aware of our plans
for the future. Certainly, we know that community centres, particularly those that have been
refurbished, are enormous local assets. I would encourage all those responsible for
running community centres to consider their futures very carefully, particularly given
the fact that they play such an enormous role in the life of communities across Wales.
Y Llywydd / The Presiding Officer: Thank you, First Minister.