Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. Before I start, I just want to say, it's been a sad day today. I stood in Aberfan this morning. I stood side by side with that community, which came together in unity in the face of such adversity. But it's been a terrible, shameful, shameless end to a sad day. A sad day indeed when those benches bring into this Siambr—those who are here to represent the whole of Wales, all our communities, all our citizens—that which seeks to divide those communities. I've listened carefully to the contributions this evening. I've been disturbed by such an unsettling sound, because, Llywydd, you don't have to strain hard at all, do you, anymore, to hear the dog whistle that has too often pierced political debates in this Chamber since the election in May? [Interruption.] Yes, Vikki.
Contributions
210 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 2 of 6. Counted by Siambr
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Absolutely, and properly represent their communities and the voice of their communities. Absolutely. That dog whistle varies in volume, it's always there, but it's getting louder. It lingers over those benches, a deliberately intangible thing that leaves too many wondering whether a line has been crossed. Llywydd, I am not afraid to speak up and say that, since May, that line has too often been crossed. It hides itself in plain sight: hateful speech dressed up as free speech over concerns—[Interruption.] No, we've heard enough from those benches, thank you very much. It lurks beneath what is disingenuously tonight presented as the language of common sense and—I'm not taking interventions—in today's case, British values. [Interruption.] Llywydd, can I carry on? I want the Members who have spoken in support of this debate to know that not only do we hear you but we see you. We see you for what you are. We see you weaponising discontent, driving division and stirring hate. We see you in this debate conflating the intimidating behaviour of thugs—those whose protests can descend into disorder and violence, often in demonstrations directed against migrants or Muslims—with the very people who are targeted by that intimidating behaviour. Llywydd, let me say clearly that I do not accept the premise that face coverings are in themselves contrary to our values. Such a catch-all position ignores the many legitimate reasons why face coverings are worn. People's rights to do so can, of course, be subject already to lawful and proportionate restrictions when necessary, including to prevent crime and disorder. But the justification comes from the situation and the behaviour, not from a judgment that covering one's face in itself is unacceptable and dangerous.
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Absolutely. And the people of Neath showed—. We had a food fair recently where they were there out in the street. They had never had so much support and so many donations after those. The people of Neath came out and they spoke in support of the fine men and women of the RNLI. One of the reasons for wearing a face covering is, of course, an important one that I am determined to use my voice to defend: religious expression. The values of our nation are centred not on exclusion but on respect, and we as representatives of our communities should respect people of every religion within them and we should never suggest that they are in any way less or inferior because they exercise their human right to freedom of religion. People of every religion or belief should feel that they belong in Wales. I do not accept that a face covering worn by an individual for religious reasons means they don't share British or Welsh values. Nor should we suggest that someone belongs any less because their religious practice differs from that of others. Framing religious dress as contrary to British values without demonstrating any harm that justifies interference with fundamental rights risks deepening division rather than strengthening cohesion. But this is clearly Reform UK's aim here. The Jewish people of 1930s Germany were subject to the Nuremberg laws that stated they were no longer German, laws that led to their persecution and extermination by the state that stripped them of their German-ness, enabled by those who believed German-ness could not accommodate diversity. Who is the arbiter of Britishness or Welshness? Who decides that a woman who wears a face covering is less British or less Welsh? We have a moral duty and responsibility in this place to be careful about the language we use and the message we send and not to engage or encourage discrimination on the basis of race, religion or belief.
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What, stating history?
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Thank you. It was a statement of fact about what happened in Germany in the 1930s. The face coverings debate, when it is spoken about by Reform UK, is always referencing connection with religious dress. On 6 October, the deputy leader set out their position in this Chamber: they would ban the burqa and every full-face covering in public. The debate put forward on this subject in the Scottish Parliament also specifically references the burqa and niqab as the only face coverings mentioned. This dog-whistle politics, while almost always a disturbing undercurrent where Reform UK is concerned, pierces the surface of this debate and other debates more and more often. But then there are occasions where the racism, sexism and misogyny of Reform UK is plain to see. ITV's exposure Undercover: A Year in Reform, broadcast just a few days ago, recorded Reform UK members and representatives describing Asian families as parasites. A Reform candidate in Wales who was employed by the Member that brought this debate to the Chamber was recorded using abhorrent racist terms. Unsurprisingly, it also exposed the misogyny and sexism within the party—so much for a party who so often claims to want to protect women and girls. And we, as women of all races and religions, stand as one against this behaviour, this language and the so-called values of your party.
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Ni ddylai neb ddweud wrth fenyw beth i wisgo. Mae parch at fenywod yn golygu parch at bob menyw—parchu bod pob menyw yn gallu gwneud ei dewisiadau ei hunan. Roedd ffigurau'r Swyddfa Gartref a gyhoeddwyd yr wythnos diwethaf yn dangos cynnydd o 13 y cant mewn troseddau casineb crefyddol a gofnodwyd gan yr heddlu yn ystod y flwyddyn hyd at Fawrth eleni. Gyda chyfanswm o 11,419 o droseddau wedi eu cofnodi, o'r rheini roedd cynnydd o 15 y cant mewn troseddau casineb sy'n targedu Mwslimiaid. Rhannodd ymatebwyr brofiadau o gael eu hymosod yn gorfforol, eu bygwth, cael pobl yn poeri arnynt a gweld eu gwisg crefyddol yn cael ei gwawdio a'i thargedu.
Official English translation
No-one should tell a woman what to wear. Respect for women means respect for every woman—respecting the fact that every woman can make her own choices. Home Office figures published last week showed a 13 per cent increase in religious hate crimes recorded by the police during the year up to March of this year. With a total of 11,419 recorded offences, there was a 15 per cent increase in hate crimes targeting Muslims. Respondents shared experiences of being physically attacked, threatened, spat upon and having their religious attire mocked and targeted.
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These crimes aren't just happening in faraway towns and cities, as we heard from Kiera Marshall, they're happening in our communities. When I visited a mosque in September, members of the Muslim community told me about the profound impact that Islamaphobia is having on them and how that attack, in which a Welsh Muslim woman had had her hijab torn from her head, was affecting their sense of safety and belonging.
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I absolutely agree that it's shameful. And what's also shameful is the claim that Muslim women are somehow voiceless and forced to dress against their will. That's as sexist as it is Islamaphobic. These experiences and the stubbornly high rates of hate crime don't happen by accident, they happen by design. They do so by deliberately pitting communities against each other for political gain, which is as shameful as it is hateful. The philosopher Hannah Arendt, herself deemed 'un-German' and forced to flee her native land, warned that the death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture on the verge of descending into barbarism. What can stop that descent is the power and protection of universal human rights. So, if we are to talk about British values, let us talk first and foremost about those rights, those freedoms that are enshrined in British laws: the freedom of religion—everyone in Wales is protected by the Equality Act 2010 and the Human Rights Act 1998—a freedom that Reform appear to have a problem with. Because the pattern is always the same: they claim to be champions of freedom—[Interruption.]—no, I won't—but only when it fits their narrow and singular definition, a dangerous, exclusionary definition. We must never be bystanders to bigotry and hatred. And, Llywydd, this Government will always celebrate the plurality of our communities. We will always challenge those who claim that our differences divide us. Our values are demonstrated by how we treat one another. In her report on the war crimes trial of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann, Hannah Arendt suggested that his evil stemmed from an inability to think from the standpoint of someone else. That lack of empathy, that ability to see others as less, is what we must constantly guard against in this society. And that empathy must be expressed by those with power and influence through the language they use. So, finally, Llywydd, at a time when racism and Islamaphobia, fuelled by deliberate political discourse, are becoming increasingly normalised, we should remind ourselves that we, as elected Members in this Chamber, hold a position of privilege and of power. Our words matter and we can't afford to stay silent. [Applause.]
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Diolch yn fawr iawn, Ddirprwy Lywydd, ac rwy'n cyflwyno'r cynnig i gymeradwyo Gorchymyn Eithriadau Gwarchod Plant a Gofal Dydd (Dirymu a Darpariaeth Drosiannol) (Cymru) (Diwygio) 2026. Mae hwn yn offeryn diwygio byr a thechnegol sy'n ofynnol i gadw'r llyfr statud yn glir, yn gywir ac yn gyson. Bydd Gorchymyn Eithriadau Gwarchod Plant a Gofal Dydd (Dirymu a Darpariaeth Drosiannol) (Cymru) (Diwygio) 2026 yn disodli Gorchymyn Eithriadau Gwarchod Plant a Gofal Dydd (Cymru) 2010 o 1 Ebrill 2027. O ganlyniad i ddirymu a disodli Gorchymyn eithriadau 2010 gyda Gorchymyn eithriadau 2026, rhaid diweddaru cyfeiriadau at Orchymyn eithriadau 2010 mewn deddfwriaeth bresennol. Mae'r Gorchymyn diwygio hwn yn gwneud y newidiadau angenrheidiol hynny. Mae'r Gorchymyn diwygio hwn yn disodli cyfeiriadau perthnasol at Orchymyn eithriadau 2010 yn y llyfr statud gyda chyfeiriadau at Orchymyn eithriadau 2026. Nid yw'r Gorchymyn diwygio hwn yn newid y polisi a nodir yng Ngorchymyn eithriadau 2026. Nid yw'n creu unrhyw ddyletswyddau newydd, nid yw'n gwneud unrhyw newidiadau i brosesau presennol, ac nid yw'n gosod unrhyw ofynion newydd ar ddarparwyr, teuluoedd na chyrff cyhoeddus. Ymgynghorwyd ar y cynigion ar gyfer Gorchymyn eithriadau 2026 yn 2025. Rwy'n fodlon nad oedd angen ymgynghoriad pellach ar gyfer yr offeryn diwygio canlyniadol hwn oherwydd bod ei newidiadau yn fân a thechnegol. Mae'r Gorchymyn diwygio hwn yn diweddaru croesgyfeiriadau deddfwriaethol yn unig i sicrhau bod y llyfr statud yn gywir. Rwy'n ymwybodol bod angen diwygiadau canlyniadol pellach i ddeddfwriaeth sydd o fewn cymhwysedd Llywodraethau'r Deyrnas Gyfunol a'r Alban. Mae'r rhain yn ddiwygiadau mân a thechnegol i ddiweddaru cyfeiriadau at Orchymyn eithriadau 2010 i sicrhau cysondeb a chywirdeb. Mae fy swyddogion yn gweithio gyda'r ddwy Lywodraeth i gefnogi'r diwygiadau hynny sydd i'w gwneud cyn i orchymyn eithriadau 2026 ddod i rym. Rwyf felly yn gofyn i'r Aelodau gymeradwyo'r Gorchymyn technegol angenrheidiol hwn. Diolch.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I move the motion to approve the Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026. This is a short and technical amending instrument that is required to keep the statute book clear, accurate and consistent. The Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Revocation and Transitional Provision) (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026 will replace the Child Minding and Day Care Exceptions (Wales) Order 2010 from 1 April 2027. As a consequence of the revoking and replacing of the 2010 exceptions Order with the 2026 exceptions Order, references to the 2010 exceptions Order in existing legislation must be updated. This amendment Order makes these necessary changes. This amendment Order replaces relevant references to the 2010 exceptions Order on the statute book with references to the 2026 exceptions Order. This amendment Order does not alter the policies set out in the 2026 exceptions Order. It creates no new duties, makes no changes to existing processes, and imposes no new requirements on providers, families or public bodies. The proposals for the 2026 exceptions Order were consulted upon in 2025. I'm content that no further consultation was required for this consequential amendment instrument because its changes are minor and of a technical nature. This amendment Order only updates legislative cross-references to ensure that the statute book is accurate. I am aware that further consequential amendments are required to legislation within the competence of the United Kingdom and Scottish Governments. These are minor and technical amendments to update references to the 2010 exceptions Order to ensure consistency and accuracy. My officials are working with both Governments to support these amendments to be made prior to the 2026 exceptions Order coming into force. I therefore ask Members to approve this necessary technical Order. Thank you.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cyfraniadau a dwi'n diolch hefyd am waith y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth. Fel y soniais i, mae hwn yn offeryn technegol â ffocws penodol nad yw'n ailagor nac yn newid y polisi sydd ym mhrif Orchymyn eithriadau 2026. Felly, ei bwrpas, yn syml, yw diweddaru cyfeiriadau mewn deddfwriaeth bresennol, a bydd hyn yn sicrhau bod y llyfr statud yn parhau i fod yn glir ac yn gyson pan ddaw Gorchymyn eithriadau 2026 i rym ar 1 Ebrill 2027. Mae'r diwygiadau canlyniadol hyn, felly, yn angenrheidiol ar gyfer gweithrediad trefnus y gyfraith. Maen nhw'n sicrhau bod deddfwriaeth yn cyfeirio at y Gorchymyn eithriadau yn gywir ac yn gyfredol o'r man cychwyn. Felly, dyna oedd diben y cynnig ger ein bron ni heddiw, ac rwy'n gofyn i'r holl Aelodau gefnogi'r cynnig a chymeradwyo'r Gorchymyn diwygio. Diolch.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for the contributions, and I'm grateful for the Legislation Committee's work. As I mentioned, this is a focused and technical instrument that does not reopen or alter the policy contained in the principal 2026 exceptions Order. So, its purpose is simply to update references in existing legislation, and this will ensure that the statute book remains clear and consistent when the 2026 exceptions Order comes into force on 1 April 2027. These consequential amendments are, therefore, necessary for the orderly operation of the law. They ensure that legislation refers to the correct and current exceptions Order from the point of commencement. So, that was the purpose of the motion before us today, and I ask all Members to support the motion and to approve the amendment Order. Thank you.
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Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Dwi'n cyflwyno'r cynnig ac yn argymell bod y Senedd yn cydsynio i'r darpariaethau perthnasol ym Mil y Lluoedd Arfog 2026, fel sydd wedi'u nodi yn y cynnig cydsyniad deddfwriaethol sydd wedi'i osod ar y Bil hwn. Mae'r Bil yn cyflwyno darpariaethau ar draws ystod eang o feysydd sy'n ymwneud â'r lluoedd arfog, mewn meysydd datganoledig a meysydd sydd wedi'u cadw'n ôl. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys: adnewyddu Deddf y Lluoedd Arfog 2006; ehangu'r ddyletswydd gyfreithiol i roi sylw dyladwy i gyfamod y lluoedd arfog i gynnwys Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol a'r Llywodraethau datganoledig; creu gwasanaeth tai amddiffyn newydd i wella ansawdd tai amddiffyn a'r cyflenwad ohonyn nhw; gwella'r mesurau sy’n amddiffyn rhag ymddygiad rhywiol a threisgar, stelcio ac aflonyddu; a moderneiddio cymorth i ddioddefwyr troseddau'r lluoedd arfog. Rŷn ni'n credu bod nifer o ddarpariaethau yn y Bil yn ymwneud â gwasanaethau datganoledig, ac mae ein memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol yn adlewyrchu hynny. Mae Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn cytuno â ni bod cymal 2 o gyfamod y lluoedd arfog yn sbarduno proses y memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol. Rŷn ni hefyd o'r farn y gall cymalau sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaeth tai amddiffyn newydd, cymorth i ddioddefwyr yn system cyfiawnder y lluoedd arfog, rheoli troseddwyr, a Chymdeithas Lluoedd Arfog Wrth Gefn a Chadetiaid gael effaith ar feysydd datganoledig. Bydd yr Aelodau'n gwybod yn iawn am gyfamod y lluoedd arfog: yr addewid y byddwn ni gyda'n gilydd, fel cenedl, yn cydnabod ac yn deall y dylai'r rhai sy'n gwasanaethu neu sydd wedi gwasanaethu yn y lluoedd arfog, a'u teuluoedd, gan gynnwys y rhai sydd wedi cael profedigaeth, gael eu trin yn deg ac na ddylent wynebu anfantais. Mae ymestyn dyletswydd gyfreithiol cyfamod y lluoedd arfog drwy'r Bil hwn yn rhywbeth rŷn ni, felly, yn ei groesawu fel Llywodraeth, ac mae'n cyd-fynd â'n hymrwymiad ni yn ein rhaglen lywodraethu. Mae ein cefnogaeth i wasanaethau fel gwasanaeth iechyd Cymru i gyn-filwyr, swyddogion cyswllt y lluoedd arfog, a Cefnogi Plant Milwyr mewn Addysg yng Nghymru yn enghreifftiau o'r ffyrdd rŷn ni'n sicrhau bod y cyfamod yn rhywbeth gweladwy i gymuned y lluoedd arfog. Rŷn ni'n sicrhau camau ymarferol, nid dim ond geiriau. Bydd y ddyletswydd hon yn ein dal ni i gyfrif, ynghyd â chyrff cyhoeddus eraill, ac rŷn ni'n croesawu hynny. Bydd elfen cyfamod y Bil hefyd yn ehangu'r ddyletswydd bresennol i 11 maes polisi ychwanegol, gan gynnwys gofal plant, gofal cymdeithasol, trethiant personol a thrafnidiaeth. Mae hyn yn ehangu hyd a lled y ddyletswydd yn sylweddol. Dwi wedi pwysleisio i Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol fod rhaid i'r adnoddau, yr hyfforddiant a'r arweiniad fod ar gael i'r holl gyrff sy'n ddarostyngedig i'r ddyletswydd, er mwyn ei gwreiddio a sicrhau ei bod yn gwneud gwahaniaeth i gymuned y lluoedd arfog. Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae Bil y Lluoedd Arfog 2026 yn rhoi llwyfan addas i wneud yn siŵr bod gwasanaethau a pholisïau yn ystyried amgylchiadau cymuned y lluoedd arfog yn briodol, a hynny ledled y Deyrnas Gyfunol. Yn yr un modd, mae'n cynnig ffordd o wella tai i deuluoedd y lluoedd arfog a gwella mesurau amddiffyn i ddioddefwyr troseddau'r lluoedd arfog. Mae hefyd yn rhoi mwy o warchodaeth rhag ymddygiad rhywiol a threisgar, stelcio ac aflonyddu ar gyfer y rhai yn y lluoedd arfog, gan gynnwys y rhai sydd wedi'u lleoli yma yng Nghymru. Dwi'n ddiolchgar i'r Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth a'r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Hawliau Dynol a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol, ac yn diolch i'r Aelodau am graffu ar y Bil. Dwi'n nodi bod y ddau bwyllgor yn cytuno â'n hasesiad o'r darpariaethau yn y Bil sy'n gofyn am gydsyniad y Senedd. Dwi hefyd yn ymwybodol bod y Pwyllgor Deddfwriaeth wedi nodi nad oedd y terfyn amser o bythefnos ar gyfer gosod y memorandwm cydsyniad deddfwriaethol wedi'i fodloni, ac nad oeddwn i wedi cadarnhau argymhelliad ar gydsyniad i ddechrau. Rŷn ni'n cydnabod yr anawsterau y mae oedi o ran gosod memoranda cydsyniad deddfwriaethol yn eu hachosi i waith craffu effeithiol pwyllgorau. Dwi'n cydnabod hefyd bwysigrwydd gosod memoranda cydsyniad deddfwriaethol cyn gynted â phosib, yn hytrach na'u gohirio nes bod Llywodraeth Cymru wedi dod i gasgliad terfynol o ran ei hargymhelliad. Dwi'n cydnabod pwysigrwydd darparu argymhellion clir i'r Senedd ar femoranda cydsyniad deddfwriaethol cyn gynted â phosib i gefnogi gwaith craffu effeithiol. Roeddwn i'n gallu hysbysu'r pwyllgorau o'n safbwynt unwaith yr oedd yr ohebiaeth â Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol wedi digwydd. O ran newidiadau i gwmpas dyletswydd a chanllawiau'r cyfamod, bydd yr Aelodau yn ymwybodol fy mod i wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol ym mis Gorffennaf yn gofyn am ofyniad i gael cydsyniad Gweinidogion Cymru, gan sicrhau mesurau diogelu cyfansoddiadol cryfach ar gyfer rôl Gweinidogion Cymru mewn perthynas â'r cyfamod. Dwi'n falch fod y pwyllgor wedi cefnogi fy safbwynt ond yn siomedig na wnaeth Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol gytuno i'r cais hwnnw. Dwi wedi rhannu fy ngohebiaeth gyda Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol, lle codais nifer o faterion yn ymwneud â'r Bil, gyda'r ddau bwyllgor a'r holl Aelodau. Dwi'n gobeithio bod hynny wedi bodloni'r pwyntiau a godwyd gan y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb, Hawliau Dynol a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol ynglŷn â'r sicrwydd a gefais gan Lywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol, a byddaf yn trafod y rhain gyda Gweinidog y Deyrnas Gyfunol pan fyddwn i'n cyfarfod. Dwi wedi ymrwymo i Lywodraeth Cymru weithio gyda Lywodraethau eraill y Deyrnas Gyfunol i sicrhau bod y cyfamod yn cyflawni ar gyfer cymuned y lluoedd arfog. Dyw hynny ddim yn golygu bod pob gwasanaeth ledled y Deyrnas Gyfunol yn cael ei ddarparu yn yr un modd; mae'n golygu bod pob gwasanaeth yn cydnabod anghenion ac amgylchiadau cymuned y lluoedd arfog. Wrth symud i weithredu, os caiff y Bil hwn ei basio, byddaf yn sicrhau bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn parhau i weithio'n agos gyda'n partneriaid a'n rhanddeiliaid yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys grŵp arbenigol y lluoedd arfog, grŵp trawsbleidiol y Senedd ar y lluoedd arfog a'r cadetiaid, ein fforymau lluoedd arfog rhanbarthol a rhwydwaith lluoedd arfog Cymdeithas Llywodraeth Leol Cymru. Yn bwysicaf oll, byddwn ni'n parhau i ymgysylltu â chymuned y lluoedd arfog ac yn gwrando ar eu hanghenion a'u profiadau wrth lywio gwasanaethau a chymorth yn y dyfodol.
Official English translation
Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the motion, and I recommend that the Senedd does consent to the relevant provisions in the Armed Forces Bill 2026, as is outlined in the legislative consent motion laid for this Bill. The Bill introduces provisions across a broad range of areas related to the armed forces, in devolved and reserved areas alike. These include: renewing the Armed Forces Act 2006; expanding the legal duty to give due regard to the armed forces covenant to include the UK Government and the devolved Governments; to create a new defence housing service to improve standards in defence housing and their supply; improving the measures that safeguard against sexual and violent conduct, stalking and harassment; and modernising support for victims of crimes committed by the armed forces. We believe that a number of the Bill's provisions relate to devolved services, and our legislative consent memorandum reflects this. The UK Government agrees with us that clause 2 of the armed forces covenant initiates the legislative consent memorandum process. We are also of the view that clauses related to the new defence housing service, the support of victims in the justice system with regard to the armed forces, the management of criminals, and the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations may impact devolved areas. Members will be familiar with the armed forces covenant: the pledge that we will together, as a nation, recognise and understand that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, including those who have faced bereavement, should be treated fairly and should not face disadvantage. Extending the legal duties of the armed forces covenant through this Bill is something that we therefore welcome as a Government, and it aligns with the commitment made in our programme for government. Our support for services like the Veterans' NHS Wales, armed forces liaison officers, and Supporting Service Children in Education in Wales are examples of the ways that we ensure that the covenant is visible to the armed forces community. We offer practical steps, not just warm words. This duty will hold us to account, alongside other public bodies, and we welcome this. The covenant element of the Bill will also expand the current duty to 11 additional policy areas, including childcare, social care, personal taxation and transport. This is a significant expansion of the duty's scope. I have emphasised to the UK Government that the resources, the training and the guidance must be available to all bodies subject to the duty so that it is truly embedded and to ensure that it makes a real difference to the armed forces community. Dirprwy Lywydd, the Armed Forces Bill 2026 provides a suitable platform for ensuring that the services and policies consider the armed forces community's circumstances appropriately the length and breadth of the UK. By the same token, it offers a way to improve housing for armed forces families and improves safeguarding measures for the victims of crimes committed by the armed forces. It also provides greater safeguards against sexual and violent conduct, stalking and harassment for members of the armed forces, including those based here in Wales. I'm grateful to the Legislation Committee and the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee, and I thank Members for their scrutiny of the Bill. I note that both committees agree with our assessment of the Bill's provisions that call for the Senedd's consent. I'm also aware that the Legislation Committee has noted that the deadline of a fortnight for laying the legislative consent memorandum was not met, and that I had not initially confirmed a recommendation for consent to be granted. We recognise the difficulties that delays in laying legislative consent memoranda can cause in terms of committee scrutiny. I also recognise the importance of laying legislative consent memoranda as soon as possible, rather than delaying them until the Welsh Government has come to a final conclusion in terms of its recommendations. I recognise the importance of providing clear recommendations for the Senedd on legislative consent memoranda as soon as possible to support effective scrutiny. I was able to inform the committees of our stance only when correspondence with the UK Government had been completed. In terms of the changes to the scope of the covenant's duties and guidance, Members will be aware that I wrote to the UK Government in July requesting a requirement for the Welsh Ministers to give their consent, thereby ensuring stronger constitutional safeguards for the role of Welsh Ministers in relation to the covenant. I'm pleased that the committee supported my stance but am disappointed that the UK Government did not agree to this request. I have shared my correspondence with the UK Government, in which I raised a number of matters related to the Bill, with both committees and all Members. I hope that this has answered the points raised by the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee regarding the assurances that I received from the UK Government, and I will be discussing these with the relevant UK Minister when we meet. I'm committed that the Welsh Government will work with the other Governments of the UK to ensure that the covenant delivers for the armed forces community. This does not mean that every service across the United Kingdom is going to be provided in the same way; it means that every service recognises the needs and circumstances of the armed forces community. As we move towards implementation, if this Bill is passed, I will ensure that the Welsh Government continues to work closely with our partners and stakeholders in Wales. This includes the armed forces expert group, the Senedd's cross-party group on the armed forces and cadets, our regional armed forces fora and the Welsh Local Government Association's armed forces network. Most important of all, we will continue to engage with the armed forces community and we'll listen to their needs and experiences as they navigate services and support in future.
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Diolch yn fawr, Ddirprwy Lywydd. In closing this debate, I'd like to thank both the committees and the Members for their contributions to today's debate. I think holding this debate today ensures that the Senedd's views are heard and represented in the passage of this important legislation. That passage is ongoing. The UK Government has today tabled further amendments to the Bill. So, if these amendments are deemed as requiring a further LCM, I will ensure the Senedd are updated and a supplementary LCM is laid. I want to respond firstly to the points made by the Chair of the Legislation Committee. I absolutely recognise, and I said this in my opening remarks, the importance of providing the Senedd with clear recommendations on legislative consent memoranda at the earliest opportunity to support effective scrutiny. However, I also recognise the importance of laying legislative consent memoranda as soon as possible, rather than delaying them until the Welsh Government has reached a conclusion on its recommendation. I was able to inform the committees of the position once those discussions with the UK Government had taken place. As regards the requirement for the new Government to consider this Bill in detail in light of its manifesto commitments, that's why the initial two-week deadline for laying this LCM for the Bill wasn't met. We recognise the difficulties that delayed LCMs cause for effective scrutiny; nonetheless, we are committed to the effective discharge of the legislative consent process and adherence to the two-week deadline. As regards my recommendation, the Bill makes provision about the armed forces covenant legal duty of due regard, both extending its application to the Welsh Government and extending the policy areas it applies to. We have a programme for government commitment, as I outlined, to uphold the principles of the covenant, and I think this duty will help us and other public bodies to uphold the covenant by requiring the armed forces community to be considered when key decisions on policy are taken. I want to turn to the points made by the Chair of the human rights, equality and social justice committee—I still want to call it ESJ. On the specific points that you made, I welcome the committee's support for some of the points that I made in my correspondence to the committee. I just want to quickly touch on some of the points that you made, specifically around housing, because I think that the committee raised valid points around the DHS and the disposal of surplus defence land in Wales, which could support our house-building goals. I'm pleased that Welsh Government and MOD officials met on 14 September to discuss this issue and others relating to the DHS. I just want to give assurance that my officials have agreed to work in partnership to explore any opportunities defence land may present in terms of house building and other Government priorities, and I'll update the Senedd as soon as these discussions develop. I'd also like to make Members aware that, on 30 November, I will be taking a paper to Cabinet regarding our approach to the armed forces covenant to co-ordinate our work across Government and drive progress in the area. We've also convened a Wales covenant conference before that, on 19 November, in Swansea, bringing together the armed forces, UK Government, public bodies and the private and third sectors to share best practice and explore the challenges we need to address collectively around the covenant, many of which have been highlighted by Members across the Siambr today.
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I gloi, dwi'n credu y dylai cefnogaeth i gymuned y lluoedd arfog ein huno ni i gyd yn y Siambr hon. I gydnabod effeithiau cadarnhaol y Bil hwn, dwi'n argymell bod y Senedd yn cefnogi'r Bil ac yn rhoi ei chydsyniad. Diolch.
Official English translation
To conclude, I believe that support for the armed forces community should unite us all in this Chamber. To recognise the positive effects of this Bill, I recommend that the Senedd supports the Bill and gives its consent. Thank you.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question.
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We are supporting households across Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd through targeted measures, including cost-of-living support, access to the Warm Homes programme, free school meals expansion, childcare, and funding for local authority and community-based schemes that provide access to advice, services and financial support.
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Diolch yn fawr. I do recognise the specific way that poverty and deprivation can affect rural areas in particular. So, one of the things that I did was make sure that, when I announced funding for local authorities that provides support for wider poverty prevention activities and also emergency food aid, which include those community hubs where preventative services are provided, that funding also included an allocation for rural local authorities, a rural allocation, recognising the added challenges of delivering support in rural areas. That rural premium element has been included on a test-and-learn basis, to recognise the additional challenges, as the Member has outlined, and also the costs that rural local authorities and other services can face when delivering cost-of-living and poverty support. On your broader question, obviously, a fair and prosperous Wales, the whole of Wales, is the long-term vision of this Government, and it's reasserted in our programme for government. A key part of this vision is to support rural areas by policies across Government designed to bring tangible benefits to our rural communities. Our rural communities are diverse, they have diverse needs, they face challenges due to geography and distance and cost and scalability. And we know about ageing population in rural areas, lack of employment opportunities, lower wages and, of course, infrequent transport provisions. So, we're bringing forward a legislative duty on rural-proofing, and that's expected to bring long-term benefits to rural communities, considering their specific circumstances, and, of course, that is something that will apply across all Government policies.
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Diolch yn fawr i chi am y cwestiwn atodol yna, yn benodol am Frycheiniog Tawe Nedd—mae'n etholaeth, wrth gwrs, dwi'n ei rhannu. Ond, fel y dywedais i, rŷn ni fel Llywodraeth yn hollol benderfynol bod y cymorth rŷn ni'n gallu ei ddarparu, a'r gefnogaeth rŷn ni'n gallu ei darparu, yn cyrraedd y rhai sydd fwyaf mewn angen, gan gynnwys yr aelwydydd hynny sy'n wynebu heriau ychwanegol a chostau ychwanegol sy'n ymwneud â bod yn rhan o ardal wledig, fel y gwnes i osod mas yn fy ateb yn gynharach. Rŷn ni'n credu bod awdurdodau lleol gyda'r wybodaeth a'r ddealltwriaeth orau o ran sut i gefnogi'r cymunedau hynny. Felly, rŷn ni wedi rhoi i'r awdurdodau lleol yna ganllawiau i fynd gyda'r cyllid y gwnaeth yr Aelod gyfeirio ato fe, i sicrhau bod y cyllid yna yn mynd at y rhai sydd ei angen fwyaf, ond hefyd bod gyda nhw ddisgresiwn i ddefnyddio'r cyllid yna ar gyfer y prosiectau a'r cynlluniau fyddai'n cael yr effaith fwyaf. Byddwn ni'n gweithio'n agos nawr gyda'n partneriaid ni i sicrhau ein bod ni'n edrych ar sut y mae'r cyllid yna yn cael effaith, pwy fydd yn cael eu cyrraedd, pa mor effeithiol fydd e, fel roeddwn i'n dweud, gyda'r system brofi a dysgu yna, er mwyn sicrhau bod y cyllid yn cael ei ddefnyddio'n effeithiol.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that supplementary question, specifically about Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, which is a constituency, of course, that I share. But, as I said, we as a Government are determined that the support that we can provide does reach those who are most in need, including those households that are facing additional challenges and additional costs related to being part of a rural area, as I set out in my earlier answer. We believe that local authorities have the best understanding and information on how to support those communities. So, we have given those local authorities guidelines to go with the funding that the Member referred to, to ensure that that funding does go to those who need it most, but also that they have some discretion to use that funding for the projects and schemes that would have the biggest impact. We will work closely now with our partners to ensure that we look at how that funding is having an effect, who it reaches, and how effective it will be, as I said, with this test-and-learn system, to ensure that that funding is being used effectively.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn. Mae'n rhaid i'r gofal plant sy'n cael ei ariannu fod yn hyblyg i deuluoedd ac yn realistig hefyd i ddarparwyr. Felly, rŷn ni'n gweithio gydag awdurdodau lleol a darparwyr cofrestredig i ehangu'r ddarpariaeth mewn ffordd gynaliadwy. Bydd symud tuag at 20 awr yr wythnos yn caniatáu sesiynau hirach, mwy hyblyg er mwyn cefnogi rhieni i weithio, hyfforddi neu gynyddu eu horiau.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question. Funded childcare must be flexible for families and deliverable for providers. We are working with local authorities and registered providers to expand provision sustainably. Moving towards 20 hours a week will enable longer, more flexible sessions to support parents to work, train or increase their hours.
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Dwi'n ddiolchgar iawn am y cwestiwn. Dwi'n meddwl eich bod chi wedi rhoi eich bys ar y peth yna, Mike. Hynny yw, rŷn ni wedi cael llythyron gan etholwyr—ac mae e'n dod o bob rhan—ac mae nifer fawr o Aelodau yn y Siambr yn pwysleisio'r pwynt yma, yn croesawu nod y Llywodraeth o ehangu'r ddarpariaeth a sicrhau tegwch, fel ein bod ni'n gallu cyrraedd y plant hynny a'r teuluoedd hynny sydd ar hyn o bryd ddim yn cael eu cyrraedd gan y model presennol. Rŷn ni hefyd yn gwybod bod y model yn un cymhleth a bod pobl weithiau yn colli mas ar gefnogaeth, ond hefyd rhai eraill ddim yn gallu mynd at y gefnogaeth hynny oherwydd y model daearyddol. Rwy'n falch iawn, yn Abertawe, fod y sir eisoes wedi cyflwyno cam cyntaf y gofal plant sy'n cael ei ariannu gan Lywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer pob plentyn dwy flwydd oed, 12.5 awr, ac felly fe fyddwn ni nawr yn symud at y cam nesaf yna o ddarparu mwy o oriau yr wythnos, gan hefyd sicrhau ein bod ni'n adeiladu ar yr ymyriadau hynod o bwysig a gwerthfawr yna i'r teuluoedd sydd fwyaf mewn angen.
Official English translation
I'm extremely grateful for that question. I think you've put your finger on it there, Mike. We have received letters from constituents—and this comes from all areas—and many Members of the Chamber have also emphasised that very point, welcoming the Government's objective of expanding provision and ensuring fairness, so that we can reach those children and families who, at the moment, aren't reached by the current model. We also know that the model is a complex one, and that people sometimes lose out on support, but others can't even access the support because of that geographical model. I am very pleased that, in Swansea, the county has already introduced the first phase of the funded childcare provided by the Welsh Government for all children of two years of age, at 12.5 hours, and so we will move now to that next step of providing more hours a week, thereby ensuring that we do build on those very important and valuable interventions for those families most in need.
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Diolch yn fawr, a dwi'n cydnabod hefyd yr ymgyrchu mae'r Aelod wedi'i wneud ar y cwestiwn o ran argaeledd a chost gofal plant, ac effaith hynny nid yn unig ar deuluoedd mewn tlodi, ond hefyd o ran anghydraddoldeb rhywedd sy'n effeithio'n bennaf, wrth gwrs, ar fenywod. Felly, fe wnaethoch chi sôn yn fanna am ddadansoddiad Sefydliad Bevan ynglŷn â'r model newydd a ddylai fod, neu'r model gorau a all fod, ar gyfer darparu gofal plant i bawb mewn ffordd sydd yn deg ac yn cyrraedd y nod. Dwi'n cytuno gyda hynny—bod yna heriau ac mae yna benderfyniadau pwysig sydd angen eu gwneud—ond hefyd fod yna, fel y mae Sefydliad Bevan wedi tanlinellu, gyfle nawr i wneud pethau'n wahanol ac yn well. Dwi'n cytuno bod y system ar hyn o bryd yn rhy gymhleth ac yn rhy gostus, felly hyn sydd wrth waelod ein rhaglen ni ar gyfer datblygu ac ehangu a gwneud yn siŵr bod y system sydd gyda ni yn esblygu er gwell. Felly, dwi'n meddwl, o ran yr amserlen, y byddwch chi'n gwybod ein bod ni wedi sôn am gymryd proses gam wrth gam. Mae hynny'n hanfodol er mwyn sicrhau ein bod ni'n gwneud hyn mewn ffordd sy'n gynaliadwy ac yn cymryd i ystyriaeth anghenion rhieni a darparwyr. Felly, fe fyddaf i yn gallu rhoi—. Rŷn ni wedi gweld cynnydd gwych ar hyn o bryd, fel gwnaeth yr Aelod sôn. Fe fyddwn ni'n gallu dweud erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn ariannol yma—felly, llai na blwyddyn o oes y Llywodraeth yma—y bydd pob plentyn dwy flywydd oed yn gallu cael cynnig o ofal plant ble bynnag maen nhw'n byw o 12.5 awr, ac fe fyddaf i'n diweddaru'r Senedd yn nes ymlaen y tymor hwn, siŵr o fod ar ddechrau Rhagfyr, ynglŷn â beth fydd y camau nesaf.
Official English translation
Thank you, and I recognise as well the campaigning that the Member has done on the availability and cost of childcare and the effect of that not only on families in poverty, but also in terms of gender inequality that affects women mostly. You mentioned the analysis made by the Bevan Foundation in terms of the new model that should, or the best model that could, provide childcare to all in a way that is fair and reaches the aim. I agree with that—that there are challenges and important decisions that need to be made—but also, as the Bevan Foundation has underlined, that there is an opportunity now to do things differently and better. I agree that the system currently is too complex and too costly, and that's at the heart of our programme for developing and expanding and making sure that the system we have evolves for the better. So, I think, in terms of the timetable, you'll know that we have spoken about taking a step-by-step approach that's essential to ensure that we do this in a sustainable manner and that takes into consideration the needs of providers and parents. Therefore, I will be able to—. And we have seen excellent progress, as the Member mentioned. We will be able to say by the end of this financial year—so, in less than a year of this Government's time—that every two-year-old child can be offered childcare wherever they live of 12.5 hours, and I will update the Senedd later on this term, probably at the beginning of December, as to what the next steps will be.
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I can absolutely give you that guarantee. Obviously, we do see a lot of families taking up the Flying Start offer, but, because it's limited geographically, there are many families, especially, we know, and there are more children in poverty who live outside Flying Start areas than actually live within Flying Start areas. So, this is why we're getting to grips with this model, because it isn't as effective as it could be. This is a Government that has prevention at its heart in everything we do, and we absolutely recognise the contribution that the other elements, besides childcare, of Flying Start can provide. So, we recognise the huge contribution that that workforce, specifically on the non-childcare elements of Flying Start, provide and the importance of their work. So, the end goal is a childcare and an early years system that includes that preventative element that is easier for families to navigate and is clearer for partners to deliver, and is better able to support all children who need that intervention.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question.
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I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding here. The Equality and Human Rights Commission's code of practice for services, public functions and associations, which came into force on 5 August, means that we have to comply with our legal duties as a Government in respect of the Equality Act 2010. All bodies and service providers must themselves ensure that they're complying with the law. The Welsh Government of course expects all organisations to comply with the law, and we've clearly stated that. But the application then means careful consideration of the guidance in each situation. It is the responsibility of all the bodies and service providers to do that. The EHRC is the regulator to ensure that that is happening. They are responsible for monitoring compliance with equality and human rights law, ensuring that public authorities and other duty bearers meet their obligations. That isn't a responsibility of the Government.
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You can. You can use your second question to do that.
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Perhaps you can write to the EHRC to get clarity.
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The figures will become clear in the forthcoming draft budget. You will be able to scrutinise that, the committees will be able to scrutinise that, and, of course, questions can be asked here of Ministers around their spending plans. You're asking about progress. In terms of the money that we've already spent, you'll know that there was £55 million in total allocated in the supplementary budget, which we have put to work in terms of expanding childcare and also with some capital grants to enable that to happen. So, 78.9 per cent of all two-year-olds are now offered childcare. Over 13,000 new two-year-olds have been offered a childcare place. Over 9,900 new two-year-olds attended their funded childcare, and over 2,000 of those children attended funded childcare in a Welsh-medium setting. As I said, we are now expecting, and I've had assurances from local authorities—. Many Members in the Chamber will probably see this happening now—their local authorities putting out that offer to parents of that age group. That's happening progressively in the way that we said it would. And then, by the end of the financial year, all two-year-olds in Wales, in every single local authority, will be offered 12.5 hours of funded childcare. I think there are quite a lot of statistics there for you.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question.
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We are of course, as I'll reiterate again, absolutely committed to upholding the principles of the armed forces covenant, ensuring fair access to healthcare, housing, employment, education, skills and training for veterans and their families. The covenant is absolutely a social justice issue, reducing the potential for disadvantage from serving in the armed forces. By and large, service in the armed forces does lead to positive outcomes. I have submitted a legislative consent memorandum to the Senedd in respect of the Armed Forces Bill, including its plans for broadening the armed forces covenant. The covenant, of course, doesn't specify outcomes or targets. It's about consideration. It's about understanding why there needs to be a specific way of working, to be adapted insofar as the services that veterans may come in contact with, to reduce that disadvantage and to afford a special consideration. It's clear that plans for broadening the armed forces covenant will impact the way we work, and so we need to consider policy now across a broad range of areas through that armed forces lens. We already have the ways and means to do that in other areas, of course, through our integrated impact assessment process.
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I just want to reflect first of all that there seems to be the suggestion that there's some kind of malign motivation behind the fact that we want to evolve this model, and there absolutely isn't. Local authorities, of course, have been engaged with us from the very beginning. There’s a WLGA representative on the expert group, and has been from the early days of this Government, because we started work on this commitment, as you would expect, immediately after the Cabinet was formed. They have always been fully in the loop. As regards the moving away from that model, that's absolutely not what this is about. It's about evolving what it is. The main reason why we want to call something Welsh Government-funded childcare is for the very reason, as I outlined earlier, that people, now we’re making a universal offer, don't think they're eligible, because they're so used to the Flying Start geographical cliff edge that means that somebody in one street is eligible and somebody on the other street isn't. So, what we wanted to do in the promotion of our rolling out of universal childcare is make that clear. That was the sole motivation: it was a communication to make it clear to parents that they were now eligible for that universal offer.
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That is absolutely our intention. You will know, as the former Chair—. I think you conducted an inquiry when you were Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee in the Senedd before last. I think you did an inquiry on outreach and on how that approach wasn't reaching all those in need. So, I know that you understand this well. We've used that Flying Start model as the current vehicle for the first phase of our expansion of childcare, but, of course, we have to make sure that the support that is available is available for all children, for all the reasons that your committee inquiry pointed out. At the same time as delivering that universal childcare offer, we have to look at options to enhance the early years support that we're providing, to make sure it does get to all those children. The majority of children in poverty in Wales do not live in Flying Start areas, and therefore are not able to avail themselves of it. When I say 'enhance', that would mean that the children within those Flying Start areas who are currently receiving that support absolutely will not be losing out.
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Diolch. The Member is absolutely right as regards economic prosperity. Making sure that we have well-paid jobs and jobs that pay fairly and have fair work conditions is absolutely key to making sure that we can lift families out of poverty. But I do reject the narrative around dependency on benefits. People are eligible for those benefits because their income is currently not sufficient to make sure that they are able to live with dignity and meet their essential needs. I think there is a fundamental difference of values and principles between us on this. We will absolutely make sure that every penny that this Government spends—and, obviously, the Member knows that welfare policy is not devolved to Wales—goes to those who most need that support. And of course, we will not be quibbling about who is eligible for that support. If they are in need, if they are in poverty, if they are disabled and need our help, then we will help them.
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Well, I'm glad that you agree with me and I hope you were listening carefully to the action we are taking on affordable childcare. That's why it's one of our main priorities as a Government and one of the main policies that, of course, I'm working on. It's a transformational, complex policy, but we absolutely know that it is fundamental to making sure that we can make those costs less for families and also give them the opportunity to be able to get back into the labour market and also increase their hours and get back into training and education. On the point on how we're doing things differently, well, I have already said and set out, and reiterated this in my scrutiny session in committee last week, that I am not going to be throwing the baby out with the bath water as regards the child poverty strategy. But I do think that it needs a tighter focus and I do think that it needs measurable targets and milestones for us to make sure that what we are doing is having the desired effect and the intended effect. So, I have already started work on developing and focusing in on what that more honed child poverty strategy can look like, and, as I said, including thinking about how we can evaluate as we go along, making sure we measure our progress. So, we will be working on that, we're developing it with stakeholders, considering, then, how to report on that progress to show what impact we are having. And I've already met with our external reference group and I've also met across Cabinet as well. We've got a cross-Cabinet taskforce on this very issue to make sure that we are aligned on our ambitions for that strategy and the types of targets we think will be useful to guide our work.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn. Gan ddefnyddio'r cyllid ychwanegol y gwnaethon ni ei gyhoeddi yn gynharach eleni, rwyf wrth fy modd bod Powys yn gallu cyflwyno cam cyntaf y cynnig gofal plant a ariennir gan y Llywodraeth o 12.5 awr o ofal o ansawdd i bob plentyn dwy oed o fis Ionawr 2027.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for the question. Using the additional funding we announced earlier this year, I am delighted that Powys is able to roll out the first phase of the Government funded childcare offer of 12.5 hours of quality childcare for all two-year-olds from January 2027.
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Diolch. Ie, mae gofal plant hyblyg yn hanfodol, dwi'n meddwl, er mwyn cefnogi teuluoedd gyda chostau byw, a hynny ar draws Cymru ac ar draws pob ardal, er mwyn galluogi rhieni, fel roeddwn i'n sôn, i fanteisio ar fwy o gyfleoedd i weithio, i astudio, neu gynyddu eu horiau nhw, ac, wrth gwrs, er mwyn rhoi'r dechrau gorau hefyd i bob plentyn. Felly, rŷn ni'n datblygu'r cynnig gofal plant yna, a'r flaenoriaeth, fel roeddwn i'n sôn, oedd cynnig y 12.5 awr yma i bob plentyn ar draws Cymru—ac mae Powys yn dangos eu bod nhw'n mynd i fod yn gwneud cynnydd ar hynny yn fuan iawn, felly, dwi wrth fy modd. Ac mae disgwyl i'r system geisiadau yna agor i bob teulu ym Mhowys erbyn diwedd Tachwedd.
Official English translation
Thank you. Yes, flexible childcare is crucial, I think, in order to support families with the cost of living, across Wales and in every area, in order to enable parents, as I mentioned, to take up more opportunities to work, to study or to increase their hours, and, of course, to give the best possible start to every child too. So, we are developing that childcare offer, and the priority, as I mentioned, was the offer of 12.5 hours for all children across Wales—and Powys has demonstrated that they will be making progress on that very soon, so I am delighted. And the applications system is expected to open to all families in Powys by the end of November.
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Diolch yn fawr iawn am y cwestiwn atodol yna.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that supplementary question.
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We are committed to ensuring that childcare expansion works for families in all parts of Wales, and that's including rural communities, where provision can be more dispersed and can be more fragile. So, we already have some flexibility in the system through guidance, through funding and local authority planning. But we are, as a part of this expansion programme, actively looking at what more can be done to ensure childcare hours and transport solutions and capital investment all respond to the specific needs of rural communities. So, local authorities use childcare sufficiency assessments and annual action plans to identify those gaps in provision, including those rural challenges, and we continue to support practical solutions, then, such as co-locations with schools and community hubs. We also recognise that childminders are really important as well in rural communities, and so we're working with partners, including Cwlwm, to support workforce development, business sustainability and provider capacity.
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Mae gwasanaethau swyddfeydd post yn chwarae rôl hanfodol wrth gefnogi cymunedau. Mae'r materion hyn, wrth gwrs, wedi'u cadw'n ôl o fewn cylch cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol, ac mae'r Llywodraeth honno wedi datgan mai ei nod yw cadw cymaint o ganghennau a gwasanaethau â phosibl.
Official English translation
Post office services play a vital role in supporting communities. These matters, of course, are reserved and are the responsibility of the UK Government, and that Government has stated that their aim is to retain as many branches and services as possible.
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Diolch, Lindsay, am y cwestiwn. Yn gyntaf oll, rwy'n moyn cydnabod y pryder pan fo cymuned yn colli gwasanaethau. Dwi'n gwybod bod nifer ohonom ni wedi gweld hyn yn ein cymunedau dros y blynyddoedd, ar y stryd fawr o ran banciau yn benodol, ac, yn yr un modd, weithiau, pan fo gwasanaeth post yn dod i ben.
Official English translation
Thank you, Lindsay, for the question. First of all, I want to acknowledge the concern when a community loses services. I know a number of us have seen this in our communities over the years, on the high street in terms of banks specifically, and, in the same way, sometimes, when post office services come to an end.
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I just want to let the Member know that I actually met with the Post Office, with Post Office Ltd, yesterday. Again, as I said, they provided reassurance to maintain the network, as is their duty. I'm pleased to say that the Post Office Ltd confirmed to me that they have—because I did raise this topic specifically around post office services in Caerphilly—received expressions of interest to run the post office service in Caerphilly, and these are now currently being reviewed. So, that process, from expressions of interest to being, typically, open, takes up to six months. So, I hope that that will give your constituents assurance that we, hopefully, will see that post office service resume in your area.
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Rwy'n cydnabod yn llwyr y gofidiau yma. Dwi'n siŵr, eto, eu bod nhw'n gyfarwydd i ni i gyd. Mae'r gwasanaethau yn rhai hanfodol iawn i'n cymunedau ni, yn enwedig i bobl sydd, efallai, ddim yn medru defnyddio, neu does yna ddim argaeledd, trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus ac yn y blaen, er mwyn mynd i'r dref nesaf. Maen nhw'n rhan bwysig o'n canol trefi a'n strydoedd mawr, a dyna yw safbwynt y Llywodraeth, yn sicr. Wrth gwrs, eto, dyw materion sy'n ymwneud â swyddfeydd post ddim wedi eu datganoli i Weinidogion Cymru. Fel y soniais i yn yr ateb cynharach, mae ymrwymiad Llywodraeth y Deyrnas Gyfunol i swyddfeydd post yn cynnwys cynlluniau i gadw maint y rhwydwaith fel y mae, ac mae hynny'n golygu chwilio wedyn am fusnesau newydd i gynnig y gwasanaeth pan fydd swyddfeydd post unigol yn cau. Ond mae hefyd yn cynnwys ymrwymiad i leoli swyddfeydd post yng nghanol trefi, lle y bo'n bosibl. Achos, fel roeddwn i'n dweud, dwi'n cytuno—rŷn ni'n gwybod, onid ydyn ni, fod presenoldeb swyddfa bost yn cynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr â stryd fawr, yn ogystal, wrth gwrs, â darparu'r gwasanaethau hanfodol yna. Mae ein rhaglen lywodraethu ni yn cynnwys ymrwymiad i archwilio'r opsiynau yna i adfywio canol ein trefi, felly, wrth gwrs yn gysylltiedig â'n gwaith ni o ran y tasglu canol trefi rŷn ni wedi ei sefydlu. Felly, dwi'n siŵr y byddai sicrhau bod swyddfeydd post yn gallu bod yn rhan o strydoedd mawr bywiog yn gallu bod yn rhan o'r gwaith yna.
Official English translation
I fully recognise those concerns. I'm sure that they are familiar to us all. Those services are crucial to our communities, particularly for people who perhaps can't use public transport or there is no transport available to take them to the next town. They are an important part of our town centres and high streets, and that is the Government's view, most certainly. But, again, issues related to post offices are not devolved to Welsh Ministers. As I mentioned in an earlier response, the UK Government's commitment to post offices includes plans to retain the size of the network as it is, and that means looking for new businesses to offer those services when individual post offices close. But it also includes a commitment to locate post offices in town centres, where possible. Because, as I said, I agree—we know that post offices increase the number of visitors to the high street, as well as providing those crucial services. Our programme for government does include a commitment to look at those options to rejuvenate our town centres, and that links to our work in terms of the town-centre taskforce that we've established. So, I'm sure that ensuring that post offices can be part of vibrant high streets could be part of that work too.
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Rŷn ni'n cydnabod bod teuluoedd mewn ardaloedd gwledig yn gallu wynebu rhwystrau ychwanegol, gan gynnwys mynediad mwy cyfyngedig at gyflogaeth, gwasanaethau a thrafnidiaeth, ynghyd â chostau uwch. Dyna pam mae ein rhaglen lywodraethu yn cynnwys ymrwymiad i ddeddfu ar gyfer prawfesur gwledig, er mwyn helpu i sicrhau canlyniadau gwell i blant sy'n byw mewn tlodi mewn ardaloedd gwledig.
Official English translation
We recognise that rural families can face additional barriers, including restricted access to employment, services and transport, as well as higher costs. That is why our programme for government includes a commitment to legislate for rural-proofing, helping to deliver better outcomes for children living in poverty in rural areas.
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Diolch yn fawr. Dwi'n meddwl bod defnyddio'r enghraifft yna y gwnaethoch chi ddefnyddio fanna o ran Aberporth, rhywle dwi'n siŵr bod nifer ohonom ni wedi ymweld ag e—lle hyfryd, lle mor bert, ond mae yna rywbeth cudd, yntefe? Ac mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cydnabod bod tlodi gwledig yn aml yn llai gweladwy na thlodi sydd yn ein trefi a'n dinasoedd ni, ond dyw e ddim yn llai real. Rŷn ni'n benderfynol fel Llywodraeth o sicrhau bod plant a theuluoedd mewn cymunedau gwledig yn cael y cymorth sydd ei angen arnynt. Dylai pob plentyn yng Nghymru, lle bynnag maen nhw'n byw, gael yr un cyfle i lwyddo. Felly, rŷn ni eisiau sicrhau bod ein hymrwymiad o ran ein polisïau yn arddangos hynny, a'n bod ni'n cymryd hynny i ystyriaeth ym mhopeth rŷn ni'n ei wneud. Felly, rŷn ni'n cydnabod bod llawer o deuluoedd yn wynebu heriau penodol, fel rydw i wedi sôn yn gynharach, o ran enillion is a chostau teithio ac ynni uwch, ac yn y blaen, ac mae'n anodd hefyd weithiau cael mynediad at y gwasanaethau a'r cymorth maen nhw eu hangen. Felly, dyna pam rŷn ni wedi sicrhau y cymorth yma i deuluoedd ledled Cymru yn ein pecyn cymorth trechu tlodi, sydd yn werth bron £5 miliwn, sy'n cynnwys y cymorth penodol yna i gymunedau gwledig a chanolfannau, fel yr oedd yr Aelod yn sôn amdanynt, i gynllunio a helpu'r rhai sy'n wynebu'r pwysau ariannol mwyaf.
Official English translation
Thank you very much. I think that using that example you used there in terms of Aberporth, somewhere that I'm sure a number of us have visited—a very beautiful place, a pretty place, but there is something hidden, isn't there? And Welsh Government recognises that rural poverty quite often is less visible than poverty in our towns and cities, but it's no less real. We are determined as a Government to ensure that children and families in rural communities have the support they need. Every child in Wales, wherever they may live, should have the same opportunity to succeed. So, we want to ensure that our commitment in terms of our policies shows that, and that we take that into consideration in everything that we do. So, we recognise that many families are facing specific challenges, as I've mentioned earlier, in terms of lower pay and higher transport and energy costs, and so on, and also sometimes it's difficult to access the services and support they require. So, that's why we have ensured that support is available to families throughout Wales in our tackling poverty programme, which is worth about £5 million and includes that specific support for rural communities and centres, such as the Member mentioned, to plan and to help those who are facing the greatest financial pressures.
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Diolch am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you for the question.
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I'd like to clarify the reason why it says 'seek to pilot': it's because there's a very important decision that needs to be made by the UK Treasury, because what we don't want to do with Cynnal is make families worse off. We want to make them better off. So, that means the UK Treasury has to give a benefit and tax disregard. We heard some encouraging signs in an interview with Andy Burnham during the Labour conference on that. It's something, of course, that I've been pressing on with the UK Treasury, and so of course has the Cabinet Minister for Finance, because we want them to allow us to—. We have the powers to pilot the payment, but what we don't have are the powers over that tax and benefit disregard. So, that's why we are saying 'seek to pilot', because we don't have—. We wouldn't want to do something if we didn't have that assurance from UK Treasury that it wouldn't make families worse off. We are preparing to implement that pilot. We've commissioned an expert team to help lead on that design, thinking about then, obviously, again, the monitoring and evaluation. We want it to be effective. We've already met four times, and we're meeting again in a few weeks' time. It's been an intense piece of work. It's an intense process because we do want to make sure that we can get this payment out to families—a payment that has proven so successful in Scotland in lowering rates of child poverty—out to children who are in need as soon as we possibly can.
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Tackling child poverty is central to our programme for government. We are already delivering on our commitments on free school meals and the childcare offer, as well as developing our Cynnal child payment. Our new child poverty strategy will include clear, measurable targets to improve outcomes for children and families.
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Diolch yn fawr am y cwestiwn.
Official English translation
Thank you very much for that question.
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We are, as I said, already making progress on the preparation of that implementation of the Cynnal pilot, the Welsh child payment. We have heard views and evidence on how such a payment could make a real tangible difference to families, so we want to make sure that we design a pilot that can demonstrate that. That expert group I was referring to earlier, which I'm co-chairing with Steffan Evans from the Bevan Foundation, is meeting regularly, as I said, to help with that design, help with the implementation, so it launches on a real sound and evidence-based footing as soon as that preparation is complete. On the tax and benefit disregards, I met with Baroness Sherlock, who's Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions, to discuss our ambitions around child poverty more broadly, and also the Cynnal payment. She has agreed to work with us to explore how we can ensure those payments do not impact on tax and benefits. And also, on the implementation piece, it's around how we can share DWP data as well, for delivery purposes. So, our officials are working together to take this forward.
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Sources
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