Cwestiwn

Ymateb yr Ysgrifennydd Cabinet

1.     Pam mae angen y darpariaethau Cymreig yn y Bil, o gofio ymrwymiad Llywodraeth Cymru i gyflwyno Bil Amaethyddiaeth Cymru

I instructed the UK to take powers for Welsh Ministers in the Agriculture Bill to provide certainty to the Welsh agriculture sector as the Government continues to negotiate the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU…The Welsh provisions in the Bill are needed now to provide Welsh Ministers with a legal base to continue with existing schemes following our exit from the European Union (EU) and provide flexibility for transition and potential implementation of new schemes, should that be required. Without such powers the Welsh Government would not be able to continue paying agricultural support in 2020 or to simplify existing schemes, for example, by removing the greening requirement of the Basic Payments Scheme and simplify arrangements for payments to cross border farms. The powers provide the  flexibility to begin transition, once policy decisions have been taken on the nature of the new schemes.

2.            Beth yw'r goblygiadau i Lywodraeth Cymru, rheolwyr tir a'r sector amaethyddol yng Nghymru o beidio â chynnwys y darpariaethau Cymreig yn y Bil?

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3.            A allwch chi roi rhagor o fanylion ar yr amserlen y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn gweithio iddi mewn perthynas â Bil Amaethyddiaeth Cymru, yn benodol, pryd ydych chi'n rhagweld y bydd y Bil yn cwblhau ei daith drwy'r Cynulliad?

I confirm it is still my intention to bring forward an Agriculture (Wales) Bill to the Assembly but this is unlikely to be in place for 2020 because of pressure on the legislative timetable.

4.            Sut y mae’r Bil yn adlewyrchu natur gyfyngedig y darpariaethau Cymreig o ran amser, fel y’u cynigir?

Given the level of uncertainty surrounding Brexit, I did not consider it to be appropriate to include an explicit sunset provision for these powers to be on the face of the Bill. The provisions in the UK Agriculture Bill are, therefore, not time limited. I can confirm it is my intention for the powers to be transitional and superseded by a Wales Agriculture Bill at the appropriate time. I intend to bring forward a Wales Agriculture Bill before the end of the current Assembly term.

5.            Pam mae angen y pwerau hyn, o gofio bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn dal i ymgynghori ar ei chynigion ar gyfer diwygio rheoli tir yng Nghymru ac mae heb gyhoeddi eto benderfyniad terfynol ar system cymorth ariannol ar gyfer y dyfodol?

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6.            A oes unrhyw fathau o daliadau na ellid eu gwneud o dan y pwerau hyn? O dan y pwerau hyn, a ellid gwneud taliadau uniongyrchol i ffermwyr o dan gynllun Cymreig yn y dyfodol, pe bai hynny'n ddymunol?

7.            Sut mae'r darpariaethau yn cyd-fynd â'r cynigion a nodir yn ymgynghoriad Llywodraeth Cymru, Brexit a'n Tir?

…the Welsh Government’s Green Paper, Brexit and our land, sets out proposals for proving future support to farmers when the UK leaves the EU. It consults on proposals both to simplify and existing schemes and a new land management programme which would replace the Common Agricultural Policy in its entirety. The consultation closed on 30 October and responses are now being considered. No decisions have been taken, including timescales for the introduction of the new schemes and further consultation will take place next spring before I make decisions on the detail.

8.            Mae'r Bil yn rhoi pwerau deddfu sylweddol a helaeth i Weinidogion Cymru, a bydd rhai ohonynt yn ddarostyngedig i'r weithdrefn penderfyniad negyddol. Sut ydych chi'n bwriadu sicrhau yr ymgynghorir â rhanddeiliaid yn iawn cyn i'r pwerau hyn gael eu defnyddio?

I acknowledge the Committee's concern regarding the significant regulation-making powers provided in the Bill to Welsh Ministers. I am committed to consulting stakeholders properly should these powers be used. We are already consulting on future policy and have outlined our intention to undertake further consultation before making any changes to payments. The powers in the Agriculture Bill are generally enabling powers which required separate secondary legislation to take effect. The Assembly and the Committee will, therefore, have the opportunity for scrutiny.

9.            A allwch chi ymhelaethu ar yr haeriad yn y Memorandwm na fyddai cynnwys darpariaethau Cymreig ym Mil Amaethyddiaeth y DU yn cyfyngu ar y gwaith o lunio a gweithredu cynlluniau newydd yng Nghymru?

I would like to reassure the Committee the powers being taken now are broad enabling powers which do not constrain or predetermine future policy decisions.

10.          Sut y gwnaethoch chi benderfynu at ba ddibenion y bydd Gweinidogion Cymru yn gallu rhoi cymorth ariannol fel y'i nodir yn Atodlen 3, Rhan 1, paragraffau 1(1) ac 1(2)?

In general terms, the powers would allow for a wide range of possible payment schemes to be established. The purposes for which Welsh Ministers will be able to give financial assistance are designed to be non­limiting in their scope and no decisions have yet been taken on the use and purpose of the powers. This will very much be dependent on the consultation outcomes and on the UK's future relationship with the EU and rest of the world.

11.           Mae Atodlen 3, Rhan 1, paragraff 1(1) yn rhoi pwerau i Weinidogion Cymru roi cymorth ariannol ar gyfer nwyddau cyhoeddus. Pryd ydych chi'n bwriadu defnyddio'r pwerau hyn ac at ba ddiben?

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12.          Mae Atodlen 3, Rhan 1, paragraff 2(5) yn rhoi pwerau i Weinidogion Cymru ddirprwyo swyddogaethau ar gyfer rhoi cymorth ariannol i unrhyw berson arall. Pryd ydych chi'n bwriadu defnyddio'r pwerau hyn ac at ba ddiben

13.          Pam mae'r cyfnod pontio amaethyddol yng Nghymru yn union fel y mae i Loegr, a Llywodraeth Cymru'n nodi ei bwriad i gwblhau'r gwaith diwygio erbyn 2025?

As you note, the agricultural transition period for Wales mirrors that for England in the Bill. This reflects the Welsh Government's decision to make a neutral assumption and not pre­ judge the consultation. Whilst we are consulting on an agricultural transition period from 2020 to 2025, it would be inappropriate for this to be on the face of the Bill. Our legal provisions for agricultural transition thus mirror the UK Government's approach for England, however, this would be amended later if necessary, once decisions have been made about the length of the transition period in Wales.

14.          Beth yw ystyr "symleiddio neu wella" yng nghyd-destun y pwerau i Weinidogion Cymru addasu deddfwriaeth a ddarperir yn Atodlen 3, Rhan 2, paragraffau 6, 9 a 10?

The Bill enables simplifications through a power to amend retained EU law relating to direct payments. These powers are separate to provisions providing for future financial assistance to deliver the new land management schemes. Secondary legislation laid under the EU (Withdrawal) Act will make operability fixes to the direct payments regulation. The powers under the Agriculture Bill may allow for further policy changes to that regulation if desired. There would need to be further consultation with those affected and work to understand risks of making changes to farmer payments.

Hoffem gael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf gennych am y darpariaethau hynny ym Mil y DU sy'n ymwneud â Chytundeb Sefydliad Masnach y Byd ar Amaethyddiaeth ac am fethiant y Bil i fynd i'r afael â phryderon parhaus am yr Ardoll Cig Coch.

Officials are continuing discussions on the WTO and Red Meat Levy clauses with the UK Government and I hope to resolve these issues as the Bill passes through Parliament.

Os caiff y darpariaethau Seisnig yn Rhannau 1 i 5 o'r Bil eu diwygio, hoffem ichi gadarnhau a fyddwch yn ceisio diwygiadau cyfatebol i unrhyw ddarpariaethau Cymreig cyfatebol

My clear objective is to retain broad powers for Welsh Ministers as the Bill passes through Parliament. Where amendments to English provisions are tabled they will be considered carefully on a case by case basis to see whether equivalent amendments are needed in Wales.

Hoffem ichi gadarnhau a ydych yn rhagweld cyflwyno Memoranda Cydsyniad Deddfwriaethol atodol pe bai Atodlen 3 yn cael ei diwygio.

If amendments are made to Welsh provisions which would require consent, I confirm that a Supplementary Memorandum will be laid.

Hoffem ichi roi amserlen ar gyfer hynt y Bil drwy'r Senedd, a hoffem gael sicrwydd gennych y bydd hyn yn caniatáu digon o amser i Lywodraeth Cymru drafod unrhyw ddiwygiadau y bernir eu bod yn angenrheidiol neu'n ddymunol.

In terms of timescales, the Bill passed second reading in the House of Commons on 10th October and is now at the Committee stage. The Public Bill Committee met on Tuesday 23 October 2018 and is expected to report to the House by Tuesday 20 November 2018. Beyond this, the timetabling of subsequent stages is a matter for Parliament but I can reassure the Committee that officials are in regular communication with the UK Government to ensure provisions for Wales are properly taken account of.