149 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 3 of 4. Counted by Siambr
The Welsh Government uses a range of measures to assess effectiveness across departments, depending on the policy area and the outcomes being delivered. These include management information, official statistics, evaluation evidence, financial and performance reporting, and feedback from service users and those with lived experience.
Thank you. I can offer the Member some reassurance here, because my colleagues in the statistics team plan meticulously based on the evidence, based on the demographic figures, and based on the whole range of factors that impact on the population of Wales, on the health of Wales, on the economy of Wales. The Member will be familiar with a number of the statistical publications that appear on a weekly basis, if not more so, from the statistics team that undertake that detailed analysis. You will also be familiar with the fact that those statistics teams look at the future population of Wales and the changing demographics in local areas. So, I can offer that reassurance to the Member.
I do fear the Member is a little pessimistic about our plans for Government efficiency and delivery on outcomes. I set out in my oral statement, and I've set out in this Senedd before, how we're going to focus on outcomes. What I'm doing and what we're doing as a team in the Cabinet Office, supporting my colleagues right across Government, is ensuring that every one of our plans, every one of our developments, is focused on changing the lives of the people of Wales for the better. That is what we will do. That is what we will continue to do. Again, as I alluded to in a previous contribution to this Senedd, the first 100 days puts the foundation blocks in place. We will then move rapidly into that delivery phase and ensure that the lives of the people of Wales are duly improved.
Work is progressing on the Government’s priorities dashboard, which will provide a clear way to track progress against our five priorities. An initial version of this dashboard will be published during the first 100 days of this Government, with key measures to support transparency, delivery and accountability.
Thank you to the Member and thank you for his support in the work that we will be doing at the Cabinet Office and across Government. I think the first thing to point out clearly is that these dashboards are going to be focused on the five priorities we've set out as a Government. We have said we will cut waiting lists, we will tackle child poverty, we will help families with childcare, we will raise school standards and we will improve productivity in the Welsh economy. [Interruption.] Colleagues opposite ask, 'When?' The Minister for enterprise and connectivity has already set out the time frame for the productivity goals. But there is an interesting point here that we should reflect on, which is that we've set out a 10-year productivity goal. My colleague the Cabinet Minister—[Interruption.] Wait for it, wait for it. But what we need to do is to have interim measures so that we may track progress along the way, and we're committed to developing those measures.
Na. Yr hyn sy'n glir iawn wrth asesu'r sefyllfa ariannol sy'n wynebu Cymru yw bod angen cyllido teg ar Gymru a chyllido sy'n adlewyrchu anghenion y boblogaeth. Does gan Gymru ddim i'w ofni o adolygiad o'r fath.
No. What has become very clear in assessing the financial situation facing Wales is that we need fair funding for Wales and funding that reflects the needs of the population. Wales has nothing to fear from a review of that kind.
Dwi'n diolch i'r llefarydd am y sylwadau. Dwi yn gallu cyfrif, diolch yn fawr iawn; un o fy hoff bethau i yw cyfrif ac adio data at ei gilydd. Mae gennym ni gynlluniau clir mewn lle ar gyfer ein gwariant. Dwi'n gobeithio'n fawr y daw yna gefnogaeth ar draws y Senedd i'r gyllideb atodol, sy'n adlewyrchu'r blaenoriaethau y gwnaeth pobl Cymru bleidleisio drostyn nhw yn yr etholiad. Dwi'n gobeithio y bydd yna gydweithwyr ar draws y Senedd hon yn gweithio ar sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru a'r sector cyhoeddus yng Nghymru yn gweithio ar eu mwyaf effeithiol a'n bod ni, ar draws y pedair blynedd nesaf, yn adnabod mwy o gyllid y gellid ei fuddsoddi ym mlaenoriaethau pobl, i gefnogi gofal plant, i gefnogi'r economi, i gefnogi'r gwasanaeth iechyd.
I thank the spokesperson for those comments. I can count, thank you very much; one of my favourite things to do is counting and adding up data. We have clear plans in place for our expenditure. I very much hope that there will be cross-Senedd support for the supplementary budget, which reflects the priorities that the people of Wales voted for in the election. I hope that colleagues across this Senedd will work to ensure that the Welsh Government and the public sector in Wales work at their most effective and that we, over the next four years, can identify more funding that can be invested in the priorities of the people, to support childcare, to support the economy, to support the health service.
Dwi'n diolch i'r llefarydd am y cwestiwn yna. Dwi'n siŵr bod nifer o bobl yn y Siambr hon ac ar draws Cymru, fel fi, wedi cael eu heffeithio gan COVID. Mae gen i aelod o'r teulu sydd wedi dioddef o COVID hir, a bydd nifer ohonoch chi yn ei hadnabod hi. Mae yna heriau, yn amlwg, yn fanna. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon wedi ymrwymo i gynnal adolygiad o COVID. Dyna beth y dywedon ni yn ein maniffesto, dyna beth rydyn ni'n bwriadu ei wneud. Mae'n dda gen i ddweud fy mod i eisoes wedi bod yn gohebu gyda'r COVID bereaved families am ein bwriadau ni ac yn gobeithio trefnu cyfarfod gyda nhw yn fuan, achos mae'n bwysig bod lleisiau'r sawl sydd wedi dioddef yn rhan o'r drafodaeth yna, yn bwydo i mewn i waith y Llywodraeth. Dwi'n gobeithio, maes o law, diweddaru'r Senedd ar ein cynlluniau ni ar yr adolygiad hwnnw, yn unol â'r hyn y mae'r llefarydd yn gofyn.
I thank the spokesperson for that question. I'm sure that many people in this Chamber and across Wales will have been impacted by COVID, as have I. I have a member of the family who has suffered long COVID, and many of you will know her. There are clearly challenges there. This Government has committed to conduct a review of COVID. That's what we said in our manifesto and that's what we intend to do. I'm pleased to say that I have already been in correspondence with the COVID bereaved families on our intentions and hope to arrange a meeting with them soon, because it's important that the voices of those who have suffered are part of that discussion and feed in to the work of Government. I hope, in due course, to update the Senedd on our plans on that review, in accordance with what the spokesperson asked for.
Diolch i'r llefarydd am y sylwadau hynny. Mae fy nghydweithiwr yr aelod Cabinet dros lywodraeth leol yn symud ymlaen gydag adolygiad y fformiwla gyllido. Fel gyda phob darn o ystadegau swyddogol, mae'r Llywodraeth yn cadw golwg manwl ar gywirdeb ac effeithiolrwydd y data yna i sicrhau eu bod nhw'n cael eu hadlewyrchu'n gywir yn y fformiwlâu. Mae'r llefarydd ei hun yn dod o Aberystwyth, ac fe ŵyr y llefarydd yn iawn bod yna ardaloedd o dlodi sylweddol yn y Gymru wledig yn ogystal â'r Gymru ddiwydiannol. Mae gosod cymunedau felly yn erbyn ei gilydd yn approach siomedig, carwn i awgrymu.
I thank the spokesperson for those questions. My colleague the Cabinet member for local government is progressing with the review of the funding formula. As with all official statistics, the Government keeps a close eye on the accuracy and effectiveness of that data to ensure that they are clearly and accurately reflected in the formulas. The spokesperson himself comes from Aberystwyth and he knows full well that there are areas of significant poverty in rural Wales as well as industrial Wales. Setting those communities against each other is a disappointing approach from the spokesperson, I would suggest.
Buaswn i'n awgrymu'n garedig mai mater i'r Llywodraeth gyfan yw sicrhau bod y Senedd yn ymwybodol o'r cynlluniau sy'n datblygu. Roeddwn i yn y Siambr yn gwrando ar fy nghyfaill y Gweinidog Cabinet dros Fenter, Cysylltedd ac Ynni yn diweddaru'r Siambr am y cynlluniau i ddatblygu asiantaeth datblygu economaidd genedlaethol newydd. Dyna'r math o ymagwedd rydyn ni'n ei chymryd fel Llywodraeth, a dyna y byddwn ni'n parhau i'w wneud i sicrhau bod y Llywodraeth yn gallu bod yn glir am ei chynlluniau hithau a bod yna gyfle priodol i'r Senedd hon i graffu ar y cynlluniau hynny.
I would kindly suggest that ensuring that the Senedd is aware of the plans that are being developed is a matter for the whole Government. I was in the Chamber to listen to my colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy when he updated the Chamber on plans to create a new economic development agency for Wales. That's the kind of approach that we are taking as a Government and that's what we will continue to do in order to ensure that the Government can be clear on its plans and that there is an appropriate opportunity for this Senedd to scrutinise those plans.
I thank the Member for the question. Work is progressing on our COVID review. As I indicated earlier, I will be making a statement to this Senedd in due course about that review, and I will be liaising closely with a number of those groups—the COVID bereaved families, amongst others—who have made very strong representations to this Government and to previous Governments about the importance of that review being thorough, looking at the issues from a Welsh perspective, and ensuring that the lessons that can be learnt are fully learnt for the future.
I heard the opposition spokesperson's passion for the issue and the importance of the issue. Reading the most recent module report on COVID brings home the sobering impact of COVID right across this country. Those lessons must be learnt, and the review that we are committed to undertaking must have the ability to address those precise issues that you have set out and that is what we will seek to do.
Delivering meaningful change for people in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, and across Wales, is at the heart of this Government's approach. That starts with our first 100 days plan, on which I'm working collaboratively with Cabinet colleagues to deliver. The programme for government will build on this foundation, with improved cross-Government working and a clear focus on delivery.
Well, I thank the Member, Dr Thomas, for his question. The analysis of the challenges facing families in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, and across Wales, is one that we share. Standards in education need to improve, waiting-list times need to come down, far broader childcare needs to be provided for families to make lives easier for people who are today struggling. We've been here for, I think, eight weeks. We are working at pace to seek to deliver meaningful change for those people in Bro Morgannwg and in other areas. For me, fundamentally, if we are to succeed as a Government, those very people you refer to have to feel the measurable change to their daily lives, and if we succeed in that, then we can be pleased, in four years' time, that it is a job well done. Our dashboards and our progress mechanisms across Government will allow us to track progress, but they will also allow us to work with Cabinet colleagues right across Government to ensure that, where one part of the system isn't necessarily supporting those aims, we work together to break down those silos and make progress. It is work in progress. It is a significant task of work after 27 years of Labour Government. It is a task that I am committed to doing right across this Government. Diolch.
I thank the Member for the question. I'm familiar with the Penarth Dawnstalkers who head to the water in Penarth on a daily basis, come rain, shine or however cold it is—braver people than me. On the matter of water, we are taking a whole-system approach to improving water quality in Wales, strengthening regulation, accountability and investment across the sector. Through our water reform programme, targeted action on pollution sources and closer collaboration with regulators, water companies and land managers, we are seeking to drive long-term improvements in rivers and coastal waters.
Dwi'n gweithio gyda Gweinidogion Cabinet i sicrhau bod yr ymrwymiadau yng nghynllun y 100 diwrnod yn cael eu cyflawni. Mae swyddogion yn datblygu opsiynau ar gyfer comisiynu adolygiad annibynnol o berfformiad yr NHS yng Nghymru. Fe fydd yr adolygiad yn ystyried achosion ac effeithiau'r heriau presennol o ran perfformiad, gan gynnwys yr effaith ar ganlyniadau iechyd y boblogaeth, er mwyn llywio gwelliannau a datblygiadau i'r dyfodol.
I am working with Cabinet Ministers to ensure delivery of the commitments set out in the 100-day plan. Officials are developing options for commissioning an independent review of NHS performance in Wales. The review will consider the causes and impacts of current performance challenges, including population health outcomes, to inform future improvement and reform.
Wel, diolch am y cwestiwn, ac mae'r Aelod yn amlinellu nifer o ardaloedd o aneffeithlonrwydd fanna sydd angen eu taclo, a dwi'n edrych ymlaen at fynd ati i'w taclo. Fel rhan o'r trefniadau atebolrwydd newydd a weithredwyd o Ebrill y llynedd, rydym ni'n cynnal cyfarfodydd rheolaidd gyda byrddau iechyd i herio eu cyflawniad a'u perfformiad mewn meysydd allweddol. Mae ein cynllun 100 diwrnod wedi gwneud nifer o ymrwymiadau i ysgogi gwella system yn y gwasanaeth iechyd, gan gynnwys adolygiad ar y cyd o drefniadau cynyddu ac ymyrryd. Bydd yr adolygiad yn canolbwyntio nid yn unig ar broses, ond ar a yw goruchwyliaeth a chynnydd yn gyrru gwelliant gwirioneddol mewn canlyniadau i gleifion. Dyna, i fi, ble dwi'n dechrau ac yn gorffen: ydyn ni'n mynd i lwyddo i yrru gwell canlyniadau i gleifion?
Thank you for the question, and the Member outlines a number of areas of inefficiency that need to be tackled, and I look forward to tackling them. As part of the new accountability arrangements that were implemented from April last year, we are holding regular meetings with health boards to challenge their delivery and performance in key areas. Our 100-day plan has made a number of commitments to stimulate system improvement in the NHS, including a joint review of escalation and intervention arrangements. It will concentrate not only on process, but on whether oversight and progress drive real improvement in outcomes for patients. For me, that's where I start and end: are we going to succeed in driving better outcomes for patients?
Thank you for that question and those choice quotes. I haven't had the pleasure of reading Eye News yet, but I'm sure the library will provide me with a copy in due course so that I may read the whole article in context. I think there's an interesting issue here around public sector absence and how you work with people to tackle that absence. This may not win favour with the opposition benches there, but I had a very interesting conversation with colleagues from the trade unions about a health board that had proactively put an absence management team in to support people to return to work more effectively and quicker and, in light of that, saw a significant fall in absence rates. So, it can be done, working with staff. Our NHS professionals are ones that want to serve the NHS, and I believe that collaborative and co-operative work is rather better than potentially sending people to the gulag.
Thank you for the question. The assessment I have undertaken concludes that the United Kingdom is a deeply unequal and unfair state with too much power and wealth concentrated in London and the south-east of England to the detriment of Wales and other parts of the UK, as indeed has been noted by Members of this Senedd across this Senedd in debates in recent weeks.
Thank you for the question. As somebody who is a fan of net fiscal statistics, it is plainly evident that Wales is a net fiscal beneficiary of the United Kingdom. But I put this to the Member: isn't that a remarkable indictment of the United Kingdom's stewardship of this country that we call home, that we remain one of the poorest parts of the United Kingdom, we remain an area where child poverty is at its highest, where our economic development is behind, where our wage growth is behind? The Member has usefully highlighted the truth of the United Kingdom, and if he'd like some figures, let me tell him, too, about some smaller independent successful countries. Since 2014, New Zealand has seen a 30 per cent growth in gross domestic product, Latvia has seen a 20 per cent growth in GDP, Slovenia 33 per cent, Slovakia—Slovakia, from the former eastern bloc—27 per cent, where the UK has seen growth of 15 per cent. Small, independent, successful countries.
I thank the Member for the question. I think I'd probably add to his list that we should also note that the UK has been responsible for a decade of austerity, which has led to the unravelling of the fabric of our society: community centres, leisure centres, banks, libraries and all those facilities that are the beating heart of Welsh communities. Now, let me be clear: whether Wales should or should not be part of the UK is a question for the people of Wales, and for the people of Wales alone.
No, thank you, Mike. We answered that question several times in our previous session, I believe. But for my part, I want to see our nation empowered so that more decisions are taken in Wales for the benefit of Wales. This would mean greater control over fiscal levers, over natural resources, over the Crown Estate, justice, policing, welfare and rail. Put simply, Wales shouldn't be denied the powers granted to Scotland, so that the primary driver of policy making is the best interests of our community, not the vested interests so entrenched in the broken Westminster system.
We are working closely with the UK Government on their forthcoming clean water Bill to ensure that the final proposals avoid any regulatory gaps, establish the powers needed for a new Welsh regulator and support effective cross-border working arrangements where these are required.
I thank the Member, who has made a very clear question and statement about the dangers of sewage and the very real impact on communities and community facilities, and for that very reason, we are seeking to take control of water in Wales. Our approach is to work collaboratively with the UK Government, focusing on practical delivery and maintaining system stability. The Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability is meeting Minister Hardy from the UK Government this Thursday to progress those discussions.
We are committed to working with a new Welsh water regulator to improve sewage discharges in Wales, to bring down bills in Wales. The performance of water companies right across the UK has not been good enough in recent years, and I think that has led to the UK position where we're moving towards a UK clean Water bill. I've been pleased with the engagement we've had with colleagues in the UK Government—productive, collaborative engagement—to ensure that we have the powers in Wales to deliver a better deal for people in Wales on water, as on many other matters.
All Ministers have a duty to promote sustainable development throughout our work. We are committed to working collaboratively to deliver our requirements under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and it's central to the way policy options are developed across the Welsh Government and in the advice provided to Ministers.
Thank you to the Member for the question. Colleagues will know that I have in the past taken some interest in matters of active travel, but I know my colleague the Deputy Minister for Transport is developing plans across the whole range of transport interventions. But the approach of the well-being Act is to embed issues like active travel right across Government, in the ways of working and in delivering on the seven well-being goals. It is important for me in active travel, as in all of the issues we face, to ask the question, 'What outcomes are changing?'—not how much money is being spent on something, but are more people, in that case, walking and cycling?
I'm working closely with the Cabinet Minister for Finance to ensure reform of Wales’s funding arrangements, and that is at the forefront of our engagement with the UK Government. I raised fair funding at a meeting of UK Ministers at the Interministerial Standing Committee on 24 June in Belfast.
Thank you for the question. I very much hope that this Senedd and councils across Wales will speak with one voice, securing fair funding for Wales. We will continue to press the UK Government for improvements to the current funding arrangements, through discussions on the wider fiscal framework and inter-governmental finance mechanisms. I should say to the Senedd that in our initial discussions with colleagues from the UK Government, they have been co-operative and collaborative, and that forms a sound basis, I think, for future engagement.
I thank the Member for the question. I think there are two fiscal—. I mean, we are ambitious—we're aiming for two funding reforms at the moment. There's the funding reform that the Welsh Government seeks from the UK Government, for which I take responsibility, working with my colleague the Cabinet Minister for Finance, and we are pressing the UK Government for progress there. My colleague the local government Minister is working on the funding system to ensure fairness right across our councils for local authorities in Wales. But I do very much hear the point about the pressure on local authority budgets in Wales, which I am sure my colleague will be taking into account as that work develops.
Public services boards are central to bringing public service partners together to collaborate on assessing and addressing the well-being needs of their areas. I will work closely with all public services board chairs to provide national support and ensure their implementation is efficient in enacting existing legislation.
I thank the Member for the question. My understanding, and colleagues will be aware, is that the public sector, the PSBs and the regional partnership boards are separate bodies that have separate responsibilities, and, as such, the RPBs, established under the social services and well-being Act, are the responsibility of the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. However, recently I’ve been looking at how we might tie together more effectively the work of the public services boards and the regional partnership boards, because what’s been happening here is that assessments of the local community needs have been happening by one board at a given timescale and not necessarily on the same, consistent data, and then by another set of people, for the same area or for a very similar area, at the same time. So, I'm working with colleagues in Government to make progress as to how we might better use evidence—use the same evidence, use robust, independent data—to build more effective performance from both the regional partnership boards and the PSBs. I hope that that kind of work will then lead to improvements in both social services and in public services more generally.
Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Erbyn diwedd y Senedd hon, byddwn ni i gyd yn gallu adrodd y teitl hir hwnnw.
Dwi'n falch iawn i fod yma i osod allan fy mlaenoriaethau ar gyfer tymor y Llywodraeth hon. Mae ymddiriedaeth a hyder mewn Llywodraeth yn cymryd llawer o ymdrech i'w meithrin, ond mae'n hawdd iawn eu colli. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru dros y blynyddoedd diweddar wedi colli ymddiriedaeth pobl Cymru. Mae canfyddiad wedi bod fod y Llywodraeth yn bell, yn siarad yn hytrach na gwrando, yn addo yn hytrach na chyflawni ac yn methu adlewyrchu blaenoriaethau'r genedl. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn benderfynol o wrthdroi'r duedd honno ac adfer ymddiriedaeth drwy gyflawni'r ymrwymiadau rŷn ni wedi'u gwneud a sicrhau newid y mae pobl ledled Cymru yn gallu ei weld a'i deimlo.
Pan safodd y Prif Weinidog yma fis Mai i nodi ein blaenoriaethau ni—yr NHS, costau byw, swyddi da, ysgolion cryf, taclo tlodi a sefyll i fyny dros Gymru—roedd hi'n glir bod rhaid i'r Llywodraeth ganolbwyntio o'r newydd ar effeithiolrwydd a chanlyniadau. Ac yn fy mhortffolio i, mae yna arfau i wireddu hynny, o oruchwylio'r gwaith o gyflawni blaenoriaethau'r Llywodraeth a chefnogi fy nghydweithwyr yn eu portffolios i gryfhau ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus a sicrhau trefniadau cyfansoddiadol sy'n helpu Cymru i gyflawni ein huchelgais.
Ddirprwy Lywydd, dyw gosod y cyfeiriad ddim yn ddigon; rhaid i lywodraeth dda gyflawni newid go iawn. Mae effeithiolrwydd yn golygu troi blaenoriaethau yn ganlyniadau—amcanion clir, ymdrech ar y cyd, data tryloyw ar berfformiad, a gweithredu'n gynnar pan aiff pethau o chwith, fel maen nhw'n bownd o wneud o dro i dro. Mae e hefyd yn golygu sicrhau bod ein hadnoddau yn cyd-fynd â'n blaenoriaethau. Fe fydd y gyllideb atodol heddiw yn dangos y dull hwnnw ar waith—canolbwyntio cyllid ar y blaenoriaethau pwysicaf, gwneud i bob punt weithio'n galetach i Gymru a gosod y sylfeini ar gyfer ad-drefnu mwy cynhwysfawr yn ein cyllideb nesaf. Mae gan bob adran, pob Gweinidog a phob rhan o Lywodraeth Cymru rôl i'w chwarae wrth droi ein blaenoriaethau yn newid go iawn sy'n amlwg i bobl ar hyd a lled Cymru.
Er mwyn gwireddu hynny, rhaid i ni sicrhau ymdrech ar y cyd, sy'n cael ei chefnogi a'i harwain yn glir o'r canol. Dyna pam rydyn ni eisoes wedi cymryd camau i gryfhau Swyddfa'r Cabinet ac i greu canol i'r Llywodraeth sy'n fwy pwrpasol ac effeithiol. Gyda'i dulliau digidol, mae'r Swyddfa Cabinet newydd yn dwyn ynghyd arbenigedd ym meysydd strategaeth, delivery a data, a hynny wrth galon y Llywodraeth. Fel hyn rŷn ni'n mynd i allu symud pethau ymlaen yn glir, yn gyflym ac yn gadarn. Fe fydd Swyddfa'r Cabinet yn ein helpu ni i roi canlyniadau a cherrig milltir clir a mesuradwy ar waith. Yn ogystal, fe fydd dangosfwrdd cyhoeddus yn cael ei gyhoeddi yn ein meysydd blaenoriaeth. Fe fydd hyn yn gwella tryloywder ac yn sicrhau bod llwyddiant yn cael ei ddiffinio gan y gwahaniaeth a wnawn i fywydau pobl.
Drwy ein cynllun 100 diwrnod, mae gwaith dwys eisoes yn digwydd ar draws y Llywodraeth, gan gefnogi cyflawni o'r diwrnod cyntaf. Mae hyn yn golygu nodi rhwystrau'n gynnar, dileu heriau'n gyflym a gwneud cynnydd yn gynt, lle bo'n bosib—bwrw i lawr waliau, chwalu seilos, neu efallai, hyd yn oed, gymryd llwybr ychydig yn wahanol er mwyn cyrraedd y nod, ac, wrth gwrs, defnyddio data yn fwy effeithiol nid dim ond i adrodd ar yr hyn sydd wedi bod, ond i ddeall beth sy'n digwydd nawr a gweithredu lle bo angen, fel ein bod ni'n gallu rhagweld ac atal problemau cyn iddyn nhw godi.
Fe fyddwn ni hefyd yn cryfhau sut mae Deddf Llesiant Cenedlaethau’r Dyfodol (Cymru) 2015 yn berthnasol ar draws y Llywodraeth, ac, wrth gydweithio â’r comisiynydd, fe fyddwn ni'n sicrhau bod y Ddeddf yn cyflawni newid ystyrlon a mesuradwy. Mae hyn yn hanfodol, Ddirprwy Lywydd, oherwydd all y Llywodraeth ddim cyflawni ar ei phen ei hun; mae angen dull system gyfan i ddelifro. Fy uchelgais yw i Gymru ddod yn adnabyddus ar draws y byd am ei harloesedd a'i heffeithiolrwydd wrth ddarparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, gan newid bywydau pobl er gwell, ac, er mwyn cyflawni hyn, mae’n rhaid inni dynnu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus at ei gilydd yn llawer mwy effeithiol. Mae’n golygu cryfhau gallu a chwalu seilos ar draws adrannau, ar draws sefydliadau ac ar draws pob lefel o Lywodraeth.
Mae'r defnydd effeithiol o ddulliau digidol a deallusrwydd artiffisial yn cynnig cyfle sylweddol i feithrin capasiti, cynyddu cynhyrchiant, gwneud gwasanaethau'n fwy ymatebol a chryfhau ein darpariaeth ddwyieithog. A dwi am roi'r seiliau yn eu lle ar gyfer defnydd diogel, moesegol a dwyieithog o ddulliau digidol a deallusrwydd artiffisial ar draws gwasanaethau cyhoeddus Cymru.
Mae’r gwaith hefyd wedi dechrau ar ysgol lywodraethu i greu canolfan ragoriaeth ar gyfer arweinyddiaeth gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, gan adeiladu ar waith Academi Wales er mwyn arwain gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru at ddyfodol gwell. Ac wrth wraidd hyn oll mae ethos Gwasanaeth Cyhoeddus Cymru'n Un, sy'n meithrin arweinwyr y presennol a'r dyfodol ac yn rhoi’r sgiliau, yr hyder a'r nod cyffredin iddyn nhw i arwain newidiadau a gwella canlyniadau, oherwydd dyw strwythurau ar eu pennau eu hunain ddim yn sicrhau newid; pobl, sgiliau a diwylliant sy'n cyflawni hynny.
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. By the end of this Senedd, we'll all be able to repeat that very long title.
I'm very pleased to be here today to set out my priorities for this Government term. Trust and confidence in Government is hard-earned but easily lost. The Welsh Government, over recent years, has lost the trust of the people of Wales. There has been a perception that it is distant, talking rather than listening, promising rather than doing and failing to reflect the priorities of the nation. This Government is determined to reverse that trend, restoring trust by delivering on the commitments we have made and ensuring change that people across Wales can see and feel.
When the First Minister stood here in May to set out our priorities—the NHS, the cost of living, good jobs, strong schools, tackling poverty and standing up for Wales—he was clear that the Government must put a new focus on effectiveness and outcomes. My portfolio brings together the levers needed to make that happen, from overseeing the delivery of the Government’s priorities and supporting my colleagues in their portfolios to strengthening our public services and ensuring constitutional arrangements that help Wales to achieve its ambitions.
Dirprwy Lywydd, setting a direction is not enough; a good government must ensure real change. Effectiveness means turning priorities into outcomes—clear objectives, aligned effort, transparent performance data and early action where delivery goes off track, as is bound to happen from time to time. It also means making sure that our resources follow our priorities. Today’s supplementary budget will reflect that approach in action, in focusing funding on the most important priorities, making every pound work harder for Wales and laying the foundations for fuller realignment in our next budget. Every department, every Minister and every part of the Welsh Government has a role to play in turning our priorities into real change that is visible to people across Wales.
To achieve that, we must ensure that efforts are aligned, which are supported and driven with clarity from the centre. That is why we have already taken action to strengthen the Cabinet Office and to create a more purposeful centre of Government. With its digital approaches, the new Cabinet Office brings together expertise in strategy, delivery and data, and does so at the heart of Government. In that way, we can drive progress with clarity, pace and robustness. The Cabinet Office will support us to put in place clear, measurable outcomes and milestones. Also, a public dashboard will be published for our priority areas. This will improve transparency and ensure that success is defined by the difference that we make to people’s lives.
Through our 100-day plan, intensive work is already taking place across Government, supporting delivery from day one. This means identifying barriers early, removing challenges quickly and accelerating progress wherever we can—breaking down walls, destroying silos and maybe taking slightly different routes to achieve the aims, and, of course, using data more effectively not just to report on what has happened, but to understand what is happening now and where we need to act, so that we can anticipate and prevent problems before they arise.
We will also strengthen how the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 applies across Government, and, by working in close partnership with the commissioner, we will ensure that the Act delivers meaningful and measurable change. This is essential, Dirprwy Lywydd, because the Government cannot deliver alone; we need a whole-system approach. My ambition is for Wales to become known across the world for its innovation and effectiveness in public service delivery, changing people's lives for the better, and, to do this, we must bring our public services together much more effectively. That means improving capability and breaking down silos between departments, organisations and across all levels of Government.
The effective use of digital approaches and AI offers a significant opportunity to build capability, increase productivity, make services more responsive and strengthen bilingual provision. And I want to put the foundations in place for safe, ethical and bilingual use of digital approaches and AI across Welsh public services.
Work has also begun on a school of governance to establish a centre of excellence for leadership and capability in public services, and building on the work of Academi Wales to lead public services in Wales to a better future. And at its heart is the ethos of the One Wales Public Service, developing current and future leaders and giving them the skills, confidence and shared purpose to lead change and improve outcomes, because structures in and of themselves don't ensure change; it is people, skills and culture that do that.
Dirprwy Lywydd, my approach is clear: priorities translated into measurable outcomes, driven from the centre, delivered through our public services and judged by results that people can see in their everyday lives, and grounded in a clear set of principles, a relentless focus on outcomes, clarity of purpose so that every part of Government is aligned to shared priorities, delivery discipline, transparency and openness, because trust depends on people being able to see what we are doing and what we are achieving, and co-operation and collaboration across public services and, I very much hope, across this Senedd.
These principles apply not only to how we organise and deliver within Government, but also to the constitutional framework within which Wales operates, because Government effectiveness and constitutional reform are fundamentally connected. Constitutional reform is not an abstract concept; it is about whether we have the powers, the resources and the tools to deliver better outcomes for our people, including on justice, on policing, on rail infrastructure, as we heard earlier, on funding, on energy, on natural resources and the Crown Estate. And we know that there is strong support right across this Senedd—in most parts of the Senedd, at least—for progress in a number of these areas and a clear democratic mandate from the people of Wales. That is why, as part of our first 100 days plan, work will be taken forward to reset the relationship with Westminster, grounded in fairness, partnership and mutual respect, and focused on consistent, meaningful engagement that delivers for Wales. And I look forward very much to my first inter-ministerial standing committee, which takes place in Belfast tomorrow, and positive and productive conversations with colleagues from Governments across these four nations.
This Government is also calling for a new Wales Bill, to ensure that our constitutional settlement is clear and fit for purpose, and pressing for a fair, needs-based funding formula, to address historic underfunding and ensure that Wales receives the resources it requires. It is important that this constitutional work is taken forward in an open and collaborative way. This has to be a conversation that belongs to Wales as a whole. So, as part of the 100-day plan, we will also begin work on establishing a standing national commission on the constitution to support informed, inclusive and deliberative engagement on Wales's future. I look forward to keeping Members updated on progress as we take forward work to establish this commission on a broad basis.
Dirprwy Lywydd, my ambition is to help to build a Government known for its effectiveness, for doing what it says, for focusing on what matters, and for being transparent about the progress it is making. A Government that stands up for Wales, ensuring that we have the powers, resources and partnerships we need to succeed for the people of Wales. My aim is to turn purpose into progress, progress into better outcomes, and better outcomes into renewed trust in the Government across Wales. Diolch yn fawr.
The Member can at least be assured that there was a significant chunk of my priorities set out there, which was about precisely better government and doing things differently, because the previous Government did not operate in that way, and we have made clear, definitive changes to the structure of Government so that we may indeed deliver on the NHS, on schools, on the economy, on child poverty, on the cost of living, which my Cabinet colleagues have all outlined to the Chamber, those priorities already. So, I am a little at a loss at those comments.
I'll turn to the comments regarding the constitution specifically. What I set out in my questions last week, and I have reiterated today, is that I seek powers not for power's sake, but for a purpose. Where there is a clear and definitive improvement that we can make to the lives of the people of Wales, if it is on water, if it is on railways, if it is on policing, then I will make that case and we will deliver improvements to the lives of the people of Wales. Because if this Senedd is about anything, it is about improving the lives of the people of Wales and that is the focus of this Government.
Diolch yn fawr i'r llefarydd. Tra bod y cyfraniad blaenorol, dwi ddim yn siŵr, wedi holi unrhyw gwestiynau, dwi'n credu bod y llefarydd wedi llwyddo i ofyn dwsinau o gwestiynau yn fanna, ac felly mi wnaf i fy ngorau i wneud cyfiawnder â'r rheini.
Cychwyn gydag a oes angen adolygiadau neu gomisiynau neu gynlluniau, fe fydd y llefarydd yn gyfarwydd gyda'r adnodd sy'n sôn am adeiladu tŷ ar y graig, nid ar y tywod, ac mae yna wirionedd yn hynny, onid oes? Mae angen seiliau cadarn; er mwyn symud gyda phwrpas, mae angen sicrhau ein bod ni'n symud i'r cyfeiriad cywir. Mae angen adeiladu tŷ ar y graig, nid ar y tywod. Felly, dwi ddim yn ymddiheuro mai dyna ran o dasg gyntaf Llywodraeth Plaid Cymru, ond dwi yn gobeithio eich bod chi'n glir, trwy gydol y datganiad yma, ein bod ni'n sôn am gyflawni ac am ddelifro, ac ymhen rhai misoedd, dwi'n siŵr y byddwn ni'n cael ein holi am y cynnydd sydd wedi'i wneud ar yr ymrwymiadau maniffesto dros y pedair blynedd nesaf.
Mi fuoch chi'n holi am y cyfansoddiad a'r berthynas adeiladol gyda Llywodraeth San Steffan. Mi fues i yn y bwrdd gwrthderfysgaeth gweinidogol yn y Swyddfa Gartref yr wythnos diwethaf, a chael croeso cynnes, a chael trafodaethau adeiladol iawn gyda chyd-Weinidogion o Lywodraeth Prydain yn fanna. Ddiwedd yr wythnos diwethaf, ges i lythyr hyfryd iawn o gyfarch gan y Prif Ysgrifennydd i'r Prif Weinidog, Darren Jones, oedd yn dweud bod e'n edrych ymlaen at fy nghwrdd yn Belfast. Dwi ddim yn siŵr a fydd e yn Belfast yfory, ond mae'r ymroddiad yna at fod yn adeiladol ac yn gydweithredol yn sicr yno gan Lywodraeth Cymru, a dwi'n gobeithio y bydd e yna gan Lywodraeth Prydain hefyd.
Mi fuoch chi'n sôn am y dashfyrddau. Dwi'n awyddus bod y dashfyrddau yma yn rhai cenedlaethol sydd o ddefnydd i'r Llywodraeth ac i'r Senedd ac i bobl Cymru. Mae hynny, wrth gwrs, yn golygu wedyn bod y data mor fyw â phosib a'i fod e'n cael ei ddiweddaru yn rheolaidd. Dwi'n hapus iawn i wneud yr ymrwymiadau yna. Dwi'n hapus hefyd i ymrwymo i gydweithio a chyd-drafod gydag unigolion, yn y Senedd hon a thu hwnt, er mwyn sicrhau bod y dashfyrddau yna yn ffit i bwrpas ac yn addas. Dwi'n credu bod hynny'n addas iawn.
Aethoch chi ymlaen wedyn i drafod y gwasanaeth sifil. Dwi o'r farn bod angen carfan o weision sifil er mwyn delifro blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru. Mae'r newidiadau sydd wedi'u gwneud wedi'u gwneud o fewn ffrâm gyllideb y gwasanaeth sifil yng Nghymru. Dwi hefyd o'r farn, fel sosialydd datganoledig, bod datganoli i lefelau is yn rhywbeth yr ydym ni, fel plaid ac fel Llywodraeth, yn cytuno ag ef. Ond mae'n rhaid i mi ddadlau gyda'r syniad nad yw creu asiantaeth hyd braich—sydd wedi'i arwain gan bobl ddynamig, arloesol, sydd wedi llwyddo ym myd busnes—i ddatblygu economi Cymru yn ateb gwell i broblem economaidd Cymru na'r hyn sydd gyda ni ar hyn o bryd. Dwi'n gefnogol iawn i gynllun y Llywodraeth hon i greu asiantaeth ddatblygu newydd. Mae dirfawr angen datblygu ein heconomi ni. Dyw'r hyn sy'n digwydd ar hyn o bryd heb weithio, ac mae angen datblygiadau felly i symud pethau yn eu blaenau. Diolch.
I thank the spokesperson. While the previous contribution, I'm not sure, didn't ask any questions, I think that the spokesperson managed to ask dozens of questions there, and so I'll do my best to do justice to those.
To start with whether we need new plans or commissions or reviews, the spokesperson will be familiar with the verse that talks about building a house on rock rather than on sand, and there is truth in that, isn't there? You need firm foundations; in order to move along with purpose, we need to ensure that we are moving in the right direction. We need to build the house on rock, not on sand. So, I don't apologise that that's part of the first task of the Plaid Cymru Government, but I do hope that you are clear that, throughout this statement, we talk about delivery, and in a few months' time, I'm sure we will be scrutinised on the progress that's been made on the manifesto commitments for the next four years.
You asked about the constitution and the constructive relationship with the Westminster Government. I was at the ministerial anti-terrorism board at the Home Office last week, and I had a warm welcome, and I had very constructive discussions with fellow Ministers from the UK Government there. At the end of last week, I had a lovely letter of welcome from the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, who said he was looking forward to meeting me in Belfast. I'm not sure whether he will be in Belfast tomorrow, but that commitment to being constructive and collaborative is certainly there from the Welsh Government, and I hope that it will be there from the UK Government as well.
You talked about the dashboards. I'm eager to see these dashboards being national ones that would be of use to the Government and the Senedd and the people of Wales. Of course, that means that the data is as live as possible and that it's updated regularly. I am very pleased to make those commitments. I'm also pleased to make a commitment to collaborate and discuss with individuals, within this Senedd and beyond, in order to ensure that those dashboards are fit for purpose. I think that's very appropriate.
You went on to talk about the civil service. I think that we do need a cohort of civil servants to deliver the priorities of the Welsh Government. The changes that have been made have been made within the budget framework of the civil service in Wales. As a devolved socialist, I think that devolving power to lower levels is something that we, as a party and as a Government, agree with. But I have to contest the idea that creating an arm's-length agency—led by dynamic and innovative people that have succeeded in the world of business—to develop the economy in Wales isn't a better solution to the Welsh economy than what we have at present. I'm very supportive of the Welsh Government's plans to create a new development agency. We greatly need to develop our economy. What's happening now hasn't worked, and we need further developments to progress that issue. Thank you.
Thank you for those questions and comments. I think you do a disservice to members of the independent commission. I don't know how much time you've spent with the former archbishop, Rowan Williams, but the suggestion that he would come to a view because he was being paid by a particular Government I think does the commission a disservice, and those members of the commission. Anyone who has ever met Rowan Williams would know that that is a suggestion that is probably beneath the Member.
He raises the question of the membership of the commission. I, in my questions, made a commitment to the Senedd that we would seek a broad-based membership to the commission. I reiterate that commitment today. I should like to engage with colleagues right across the Senedd to see if there are individuals who might contribute constructively and effectively to that commission from a whole range of perspectives.
The dashboards are about measurable data and being able to track measurable progress. That's what we want to do. That's how we can be held to account, but also the whole system can be held to account, and I'd be very keen to make progress on that.
You ask why I talked about the future generations Act, which is an underpinning piece of legislation that deals with public bodies across Wales. Of course, I will be engaging with every one of the commissioners appointed with this Government. When we say we are seeking to bring together the public services as one to deliver on our priorities, we mean it, and that is what I shall be doing as a Minister. Diolch.
Diolch yn fawr. The case for devolution of justice and policing has been made powerfully and independently by the Thomas commission, the Silk commission, and the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, so that Wales could be in the same position as both Scotland and Northern Ireland. I look forward to meeting with colleagues from both of those Governments over the next week to discuss some of these issues. But it surely cannot be right that we have fewer powers than the Manchester area. That is clearly unconscionable. There is also an opportunity, with the police reforms currently progressing at a UK level, for that case to be advanced in a co-operative, collaborative and productive manner.
Diolch. We will be updating the Senedd in terms of the COVID review in due course. As you'll be aware, there is the UK COVID inquiry, which is an enormous piece of work. What I am keen to do is to understand fully which aspects that inquiry has focused on in the Welsh context, and build upon that, so that when we come forward with proposals, they are suitable for this Senedd and reflect the views already expressed in the previous Senedd about the importance of looking at our experience through COVID.
The Member is absolutely right to highlight the potential changes to police and crime commissioners. That forms part of the package of changes to policing in the England and Wales context. Therefore, that will be part of the discussions with Ministers at the UK level, and I look forward to those productive discussions with them.
The independent commission on the constitution, I am informed by officials, cost £1.5 million last time, and there is a budget that has been part of the budget line of the previous Government on that. As Members will be aware, I've committed to look at the effectiveness of all Government spending, and therefore that will clearly be part of our progress.
Diolch i'r Aelod. Fel mae'r Aelod wedi nodi, fe fydd y Gweinidog sydd yn gyfrifol am newid hinsawdd yn y Llywodraeth yn gwneud datganiad toc i'r Senedd hon. Mae e'n bwysig. Mae e'n allweddol. Fel rŷn ni'n profi ar hyn o bryd, mae newid hinsawdd yn bodoli. Mae e'n effeithio ar gymunedau ar draws ein gwlad, ac ar draws y byd, ac mae e'n flaenoriaeth i'r Llywodraeth hon.
Fe fyddaf i, fel dywedais i, Ddirprwy Lywydd, yn diweddaru'r Senedd maes o law am drefniadau'r comisiwn. A gobeithio, wrth amlinellu'r gwahanol elfennau o'r gwaith hwnnw—. Achos bydd yr Aelod hefyd yn gwybod bod y grŵp cynghori ar arloesi democratiaeth wedi gwneud gwaith pwysig iawn yn edrych ar ddemocratiaeth gyfranogol yng Nghymru. Gan adeiladu ar y gwaith hwnnw, mae yna gyfle yn fanna inni adeiladu ymhellach ar y gwaith hwnnw. Diolch.
I thank the Member. As the Member noted, the Minister with responsibility for climate change will be making a statement very soon to this Senedd. It is important. It is crucial. As we are experiencing at the moment, climate change exists. It impacts communities across our country, and across the globe, and it is a priority for this Government.
As I said, Dirprwy Lywydd, I will be updating the Senedd in due course on the commission's arrangements. And hopefully, in outlining different elements of that work—. Because the Member will also know that the innovating democracy advisory group has done very important work in looking at participative democracy in Wales. Building on that work, there is an opportunity there for us to develop that further. Thank you.
Diolch i'r Aelod am y cwestiwn. Mae yna her, wrth gwrs, gyda'r ansefydlogrwydd yn San Steffan ar hyn o bryd, ac rŷn ni'n gobeithio na fydd hynny yn amharu gormod ar ein cyfeillion ni yn San Steffan. Mae'r Llywodraeth hon yn focused ac yn symud ymlaen â'i hagenda o ran datganoli Ystad y Goron. Mi gafwyd cyfarfod adeiladol iawn gydag Ystad y Goron yn y dyddiau diwethaf, gyda'r Gweinidog Cabinet dros Fenter, Cysylltedd ac Ynni yn chwarae rôl greiddiol yn hynny.
Fel mae'r Aelod wedi nodi, fe godwyd £700 miliwn o'r rownd ddiweddaraf o wynt ar y môr, ac felly mae yna gyfle sylweddol i Gymru wrth ddatganoli Ystad y Goron.
Ond dwi'n credu hefyd—. Felly, mae yna drafodaethau i'w cael gyda Llywodraeth Prydain ar y materion yma, ond mae yna hefyd gyfle inni weithio'n adeiladol ac yn rhagweithiol gydag Ystad y Goron nawr i sicrhau bod buddsoddiad sylweddol yn yr economi Gymreig, yn y gadwyn gyflenwi Gymreig, a thrwy hynny sicrhau gwelliannau i'r seilwaith economaidd yma yng Nghymru. A dwi'n awyddus i wneud y ddau: datblygu'r drafodaeth am ddatganoli Ystad y Goron, ond hefyd i gymryd pob mantais ar fuddsoddiad Ystad y Goron nawr.
I thank the Member for that question. There is a challenge, of course, in terms of the uncertainty in Westminster at present, and we do hope that that won't affect our colleagues in Westminster too much. This Government is focused and is moving ahead with this agenda in terms of the devolution of the Crown Estate. We had a constructive meeting with the Crown Estate in recent days, with the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy playing a key part in that.
As the Member noted, £700 million was raised in the latest round of offshore wind, and therefore there is a significant opportunity for Wales in devolving the Crown Estate.
But I also think—. Therefore, there are discussions to be had with the UK Government on these issues, but there is also an opportunity for us to work constructively and proactively with the Crown Estate now to ensure that significant investment is made in the Welsh economy, and in the Welsh supply chain, and through that to ensure improvements to the economic infrastructure of Wales. And I'm eager to do both: to develop the discussion on the devolution of the Crown Estate, but also to capitalise on investment in the Crown Estate now.
Diolch am y cwestiynau.
Thank you for those questions.
My colleague the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy will be making further statements to the Senedd about the national development agency, which I'm sure will include a focus on the kinds of jobs we need to create, the kind of investment we need to attract and support in Wales, and how we grow Welsh businesses through the framework of the national development agency.
Thank you for the question. The NHS is fully devolved presently. As my colleague the Minister for health has set out, we work effectively with partners across the border, we seek to work more effectively, and we envisage those partnerships continuing, as they do in cross-border regions in many parts of the UK and across Europe.
Thank you to the Member for the question. As we've rehearsed, we are, as a Government, committed to both the well-being of future generations Act, but also a review to make sure that that Act is working in the most effective and efficient way possible to deliver on its great potential. Wales has become known across the world for its pioneering legislation on the well-being of future generations. But my initial suggestion to colleagues is that the link between the declarations of the Act and the ways of working, and how that has been translated across the public sector, isn't always as it could be. Therefore, things like the cabinet office, the one Welsh public service, developing right across the public sector, a focus on those ways of working on the future and on the people of Wales, are a strong foundation to develop in a sustainable way, in a way that can deliver for people now, and leave a positive legacy behind for future generations. We'll see that again with the imminent 'Future Trends' report, which we'll be laying as a Government before this Senedd and will give an opportunity for all Members across this Senedd to discuss and debate those trends that are crucially important. Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd.
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